


Kisses and Curses

by Silverseeker24345



Category: Free!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Animal Magnetism, Biting, Curses, Hate Sex, M/M, Magic AU, Makoto is a ghost, Nagisa is his lab creation, Potions, Premonitions, Rei is a necromancer, Rin is a wizard, Rough Sex, Selchie Aiichiro, Supernatural Elements, Werewolf Sousuke, Witch Gou, bdsm undertones, kind of like a Frankenstein type though, mermaid haru, now with sexytimes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-07-31
Updated: 2015-12-05
Packaged: 2018-04-12 05:13:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 24,330
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4466708
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Silverseeker24345/pseuds/Silverseeker24345
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Yeah. A love like that- it's a once in a lifetime thing." Rin snapped his head over to look at his friend drifting along, looking at if he were doing the dead man's float on his back in the air. In a way, Rin supposed he sort of was. </p><p>"You ever been in love Makoto?" Rin chewed on his lower lip, keeping his voice gentle, despite the curiosity lacing his tone. There was a lot that Makoto left unsaid, usually playing the part of the observer.</p><p>"Oh yes. It was love at first sight." Makoto smiled lightly, a sad glimmer of a memory behind his eyes, his arms behind his head, his chains scraping along the wet floor being chased by the enchanted mop. His head lolled from side to side, as if swaying to the haunting tune of a private melody.</p><p>"Well, what happened?" Rin almost swallowed the question down, but it bubbled out of him before he even finished forming it, sense of dread twisting his gut when he could supply his own answer, his smile twisting into a more apologetic wince. Still, Makoto sat up in the air, raising his eyebrow, his own smile wistful, worn, and weary. He shook his head, as if he could shake off some of the memories plaguing him. </p><p>"Well, I died."</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Ring The Bells

**Author's Note:**

> Okay so I sort of wrote all of this on my phone in my notes while I was sick, but it really grew a mind of its own. There's definitely going to be more to come. I sincerely hope that you enjoy this. Ratings may go up later because I really can't resist a story with a good smut sequence.

"So, why won't you tell me how you died, again?" The redhead began with a wide smile, stirring his tea with his finger, controlling the spoon to spin for him inside of his levitating cup. He kicked up his feet onto the coffee table, leaning back into his sofa with his arms behind his head. He was sure that if Makoto could blush, he probably would, but as a water-logged apparition lacking a functional circulatory system, he would have to do with just looking scandalized, one hand clutching at the sopping fabric of his chest that could really only be accessed on that plane of backwards existence.

 

Though Rin could swear those cheeks only turned bluer. He took out his notebook, conjuring up a pen to scribble that down as an observation.

 

"Rin, isn't that inappropriate? Besides, I thought that it was sort of obvious." The specter gestured at his form as a whole, somehow managing to leave a real puddle on the floor, the mop nearly in a constant state of following him mopping up his ghostly ocean trail.

 

"Hey, how would you know? You talk to a lot of ghosts? I bet you haven't left the hull of this ship since the day you woke up dead in it." Rin shot the other a pointed look, taking a sip of his brew with a content sigh. "Seriously, you need to get an afterlife, I've been worried. So what was it? A drunk swim? Did you walk the plank? It's probably not a kraken, there would be at least another ghost- unless you were the only one with unfinished business! What was her name?" The redhead teased his dead friend wryly, waggling his eyebrows while braiding his hair back manually, because he liked the feel of it on his fingertips and he needed it out of his way for his work. "Or his, you know I won't judge you." Makoto managed to heave a worn sigh, raspy and bubbly from presumably the remembrance of an ocean inside of him. He ran his fingers through his hair, which wildly drifted about him as if he were still submerged, making his chains jingle with his movement, tapping along the wood beneath him and momentarily knocking the mop over, which nearly looked offended when it popped back up, if mops could have expressions.

 

"Your concern touches me." The dryness of his voice contrasted nicely with the way his everything else was positively drenched. "It's just been a long time. It doesn't really matter anymore. And you know I don't know why I'm still here. It's probably to make sure you stay out of trouble." Rin laughed at that, kicking off the table to finish his tea before meandering to the kitchen to set the cup and saucer into the sink where his dishes were doing themselves.

 

"Probably. I could have gone without the dramatics that first night though." As if on cue, the lights flickered, Makoto offering a bashful smile. For whatever reason, the ship was just as bound to him as he was to it, though Rin was certain his friend was in the water while he passed. Probably thousands, if not hundreds of years later, the ship now functioning as the apothecary/potions shop and Rin's home in town, the old girl still responded to Makoto's every thought and feeling, creating an extremely awkward first meeting for the two.

 

"I know. I'm still sorry, by the way. I didn't mean to make you cry. I was just nervous." He laughed while Rin huffed, crossing his arms while he made his way down stairs into what used to be the brig, where the shop itself was situated. Makoto followed behind, making his way to levitate behind the desk as if sitting indian style in the air. The lanterns inside began illuminating via Makoto, a warm glow casting through the room, the curtains opening and the "closed" sign flipping over to "open". Despite being unable to really touch things, Makoto still had his way with operating a smooth ship.

 

"I didn't cry!" Rin tied his apron around his waist, sitting on the front desk. "I just didn't expect a roommate. A dead roommate. Levitating over me in my bed. Getting me wet." He rolled up his sleeves while he waited for his first customer, who always bustled in at the same time every day. He admired some of his handiwork glowing in glass vials on the shelves and enchanted a broom to tidy up some of the dust on the floor, the same mop dancing circles beneath Makoto.

 

As if on cue, a blue-haired man in a white lab-coat shuffled through the front door, adjusting his glasses and holding the door open for a groggy-looking blonde with a healed laceration at his temple, face tucked into the taller's chest who guided him in from under his arm. The man in the lab coat allowed the blond to cling to him, rubbing soothing circles into his back and letting the door shut quietly behind them. He guided the other onto a plush seat in the corner by a book shelf habitually lacing his fingers with him while he turned to the desk.

 

"Good morning."

 

"Good morning, Nagisa, Rei. If you'll just come with me to the back, we can put together the rest of that serum. And I've been working on something sweet for Nagisa to try out, afterward today, too." Rin directed the majority of his statement to the taller of the two- Rei- who gave a grateful nod, looking down at the other who was peering up nervously through his golden bangs before unlacing their fingers with a soft, tired smile. Rei waited for Nagisa to offer a quiet nod of his own.

"Go ahead, Rei-chan. Mako-chan can keep me company." The necromancer's smile relaxed while the ghost floated over to the little miracle on the chair, making sure to keep his distance so that the boy would be undisturbed by the knocking of the mop.

"Tell me a story, Mako-chan," followed Rin and Rei into the back, both of them knowing that whatever the ghost would say would exist only temporarily. Rin grinned over to the necromancer, his cauldron bubbling while he held out his hand for the little scraps of paper that Nagisa had written down the night before. The other passed them over with a blush, knowing that some of the journal entries gave away a little bit more than Rin necessarily needed to know. Said redhead let out a whistle.

"You sly dog, Rei. I didn't think you had it in you." Rin winked, and the entry turned to a fine pink power, swirling into the jar labeled _Nagisa's memories_. He let the sands mix together and then took a pinch to drop into the cauldron for Nagisa's special breakfast.

"This needs to simmer and shift for a little bit. If you want to go ahead and work your magic on him now, it'll probably be ready just in time.

 

Nagisa was looking even less animated when Rei stepped out into the main shop, a special vile of his own ready as he knelt in front of the blond. The science was very particular and time sensitive. He licked his lips, Makoto floating back to offer them more space.

"Nagisa, are you ready? I'm going to inject you now. It might hurt a little bit, but I promise that it's going to be worth it."

"Being with Rei-chan is always worth it." The light voice was like sandpaper, dry and tired and a little bit sad. But it was temporary. Nagisa knew it would hurt, he made sure it was in his memoirs. But he knew the alternative was much worse.

Rei deposited the vile into a needle, making sure Nagisa was prepared before making the injection into the side of his neck, wincing while Nagisa gasped in pain, spasming as if he were being electrocuted. In a way, he was, Rei's special concoction harnessing lighting power to help maintain some of Nagisa's life-spark. He withdrew the needle, holding Nagisa close to him while the boy whimpered in his arms, jolting occasionally. He pressed a light kiss to the boy's forehead while Rin came out from the back, a pink sugar cookie on a plate awaiting the boy, who calmed in his lover's embrace to a mild buzz of energy, his breathing still running rather ragged.

 

The blonde pulled back, smiling tentatively and bouncing lightly in his seat.

 

"Nagisa?" Rei rubbed the boy's arms.

"Is that my name? Who are you?"

"Yes, Nagisa. And I'm your, um-"

"Boyfriend?" Rei blushed, looking over to where Rin had interjected handing Rei the plate.

"I was going to say 'creator' but um, I suppose that's also truth." He was taken aback by a light giggle from the magenta-eyed boy.

"My boyfriend is cute when he blushes! Is that for me?" He gestured to the plate with a curious smile, reaching for the sweet. "Do I like these?" Rei nodded, still flustered, his lips pressed tightly together. The blonde beamed, quickly gobbling up the cookie before his smile could grow even wider and even brighter, his eyes positively glowing with the resurface of every unburied memory.

He dropped the plate, which was enchanted to not shatter via experience, as the boy was overwhelmed and rushing to lean forward and wrap his arms around Rei's neck, initiating a giddy, excited kiss, his feet tapping away on the floor. He stood up and beamed at the other two, full of energy, one hand laced with Rei's while he bounced on his toes, his lover standing beside him, the plate in his available hand.

"He told me he loved me! We're in love!" Rei blushed harder, passing the plate to Rin, a silly smile tugging at his own lips.

"And we have a special day planned because of it. We should really get going. Thank you, Rin, Makoto. We'll see you both tomorrow, if not later today." He withdrew a little satchel of coins and dropped it onto the counter.

"It's no problem. Here, they're just little sweets that make you sing for a little bit. I know they're Nagisa's favorite. I added a new flavor, let me know how you both like them!"

He dropped the little bundle into Nagisa's cupped hand and leaned against the desk while the blond animatedly tugged the Rei out of the front door with a wide smile, both of them excitedly waving their goodbyes. Once the door was closed, Rin heaved a heavy sigh, rubbing his face for a moment.

 

"Damn, can you imagine going through that every day? Poor kid literally gets lightning poured into him and forgets his whole life. And Rei having to put him through it? Man I can't imagine."

"Ah, but Nagisa's been getting better about retaining things! Remember when he first started coming by, he couldn't even remember how to speak? They've been coming a long way. I think it's helped Rei grow as a person, too."

"Yeah, I guess you're right." They both shot one another a knowing grin, seeing the blue-haired man buying an enchanted flower wreath to gently lower onto Nagisa's head through the window, making the blond boy giggle from across the street.

"I'd probably give anything to harness what they have. I mean they have the real thing, you know? There's some fairytale true love going on right there." He dropped the money into the ancient cash register, closing it up and barely missing Makoto's wistful sigh.

"Yeah. A love like that- it's a once in a lifetime thing." Rin snapped his head over to look at his friend drifting along, looking at if he were doing the dead man's float on his back in the air. In a way, Rin supposed he sort of was.

"You ever been in love, Makoto?" Rin chewed on his lower lip, keeping his voice gentle, despite the curiosity lacing his tone. There was a lot that Makoto left unsaid, usually playing the part of the observer.

"Oh yes. It was love at first sight." Makoto smiled lightly, a sad glimmer of a memory behind his eyes, his arms behind his head, his chains scraping along the wet floor being chased by the enchanted mop. His head lolled from side to side, as if swaying to the haunting tune of a private melody.

"Well, what happened?" Rin almost swallowed the question down, but it bubbled out of him before he even finished forming it, sense of dread twisting his gut when he could supply his own answer, his smile twisting into a more apologetic wince. Still, Makoto sat up in the air, raising his eyebrow, his own smile wistful, worn, and weary. He shook his head, as if he could shake off some of the memories plaguing him.

"Well, I died."

 

Rin looked up through heavy lashes for a second before cracking another wry smile, Makoto's own swimming with humor and mild disapproval of whatever was about to be said. 

"Fair enough. And how did you do that, again?" Rin innocently fluttered his eyelashes before diving with a snort, avoiding a book that flew at him from the shelf, though they both knew Makoto missed him on purpose. 

"For the best friend I've ever had, Rin? You sure are the worst."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Chapter Song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBku3m51-Hw)
> 
> Thank you for Reading~


	2. Eyes On Fire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He sighed, knowing that to argue would be pointless, once she was adamant. He knew this tea would be used for much more than just a hot beverage, her specialties lying primarily in divination and psychic readings. “I’ll bring lunch, as well. No need to fall all over yourself to get things prepared~” Rin winced, knowing he was completely cornered.
> 
> “Now Kou- it wasn’t that bad-“She cut him off with the tinkling of a small, nervous laugh. Great, she was worried, exactly what Rin was attempting to avoid.
> 
> “Don’t worry. We’ll talk about it at lunch. I’ll see you then, love you!” The line went dead and Rin rubbed his temples, fastening up the telephone. He snapped his fingers, the rest of the cleaning supplies snapping into attention, beginning to clean the entirety of his apartment inside of the ship. He rolled his eyes over to the relieved smile on Makoto’s face.
> 
> “Don’t look so self-satisfied. It’s just lunch.” He grumbled off to bathe, leaving Makoto in the room with the old piano that had been left to gather dust since the day the old Captain had gone overboard all of those years ago.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello~ I hope that you enjoy the next chapter! I don't have a beta, but I did try to go through and edit everything. I tried to spend yesterday planning while I was on a car trip, but then learned that my best planning process comes just from the actual act of writing. I spent an embarrassingly long amount of time on this for how short it ended up. At any rate, enjoy~

The full moon loomed above Rin, the signature slash of the cursed, three horizontal strikes, three vertical, scraping across the rocky surface, a dense fog settling around him. He groaned, feeling his pulse begin to quicken, his blood boiling him inside-out and his heart throwing itself against his ribcage. He was locked in place, paralyzed while the twisting of vines latched around his legs, up toward his torso, thorns prickling into him. He whimpered once the voices whispered around him, starting out like angry wind through a forest, slowly becoming crisper, clearer.

 _“He’s returned.”_ Rin squeezed his eyes shut tight, swallowing down a sob threatening to bubble up from frustration, the words chilling his bones.

“N-no…”

 _“Victim of the Roses.”_ Rin felt the brush of a pelt against his cheek, and he knew the perfect black depths of it without so much as opening his eyes, feeling as if the very breath of him had been knocked out. He opened his mouth to scream, but he was winded, gasping harshly and struggling against his harsh bonds.

 _“The cursed one. He is the cursed one.”_ Ruby eyes snapped open to gaze directly into a piercing teal pair, unforgiving and desperate, filled with passion and compassion swimming under their depths, a very human, very handsome face resting his forehead against Rin’s own.

“I-I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” Rin panted out, feeling a strong, calloused hand brush his cheek gentler than he felt he deserved.

 _“Rin…”_ Rin felt his tears stream full force, gushing a stream of senseless blubbering and apologies while the man tried to wipe away his tears. _“Rin. Look at me. Rin?”_

 

“Rin!” Makoto’s voice pulled him out of whatever reality he had been transported to, hoarse with worry and mild desperation. The lights were flickering, the walls groaning, Makoto’s concern obvious in the way the ship responded to him.

Rin’s vision was met with darkness, a harsh, flat, and solid reality pressed into his face. He had approximately half a second before he realized that yes, he was in fact getting intimate with the vibrating ceiling, and no, flying was not his typical modus operandi before he felt himself plummet into the unforgiving jaws of his awaiting mattress below. He winced upon impact, taking a mental note to splurge on more pillows, preferably of the magical variety, enough to cover the expanse of his entire bed, if he could manage it. He groaned, rubbing his back, before stretching out his neck, playing it off as nonchalant, as if this was the way he started every day.

“Nng, fuck. Good morning, Makoto. How was walking aimlessly around the ship? I hope you didn’t watch me sleep for too long, you know I hate interrupting your nightly pace-and-think. I know that it can be a real downer by comparison, heh, get it? Downer? Because I fell?” He fluttered his eyelashes up at his friend.

 

Makoto’s Disapproving Parent Face was impenetrable, his arms crossed, his feet firmly planted in the air as if he were on the floor. He shook his head, giving the bait not so much as a nibble. The Ship around them relaxed it’s quaking, the lights stagnating on a pleasant, comfortable glow inside of the bedroom.

“If you don’t call her, I’ll find a way to.” The redhead heaved a heavy sigh in retaliation, flopping back into his sheets, willing them to swallow him whole.

“C’mon Makoto, it was just a, um, a bad dream?” He followed the other’s gaze, which flicked up to the ceiling, then back down to him, his eyebrow lifting, disapproval only deepening, and calling him out without the use of words. “Okay, fine, it’s just, I just- I hate worrying her. I mean, it’s bad enough to have a premonition. Those always leave a bad taste in my mouth; I don’t want to drag her into it too, you know?” As if on cue, the tinkling, ominous tin rattling of a telephone in the hall crept into his room, stroking the knobs of Rin’s spine like the chilling touch of death’s bony fingers tapping up between his shoulder blades. His heart hammered nervously.

“If I were you, I would get that.” Makoto’s somber expression finally relaxed into a triumphant grin, hoping that the caller could hear his gratefulness on the frequency of exchange they seemed to somehow share, not that the sunken sailor had any clue as to how that worked in the slightest while he drifted away to the hall, his trusted mop dutifully following suit. He watched as Rin struggled out of his sheets behind, shuffling down to the metal telephone in the sitting room, the jingling magically getting more and more insistent.

“God I hate when she does that.” Rin’s voice was a croak once he made it to the room, sitting beside the phone and answering, holding the handle on the receiver to his lips, his ear pressed lightly to the chilling metal. “Hello, Gou. Any particular reasoning for your call this early in the morning?” His voice was laced with smiles, him choosing to use her real name to try to get a rise out of her, feigning innocence, though they both knew he was entirely aware of her intent.

“Oh Rin-Rin! I was just calling to ask you which kind of tea I should bring for later today. Though come to think of it, I‘m sure that black tea would answer my question best, don’t you think?” He winced at her use of nick-name, mentally commending her on her come-back. Well done. He sighed, knowing that to argue would be pointless, once she was adamant. He knew this tea would be used for much more than just a hot beverage, her specialties lying primarily in divination and psychic readings. “I’ll bring lunch, as well. No need to fall all over yourself to get things prepared~” Rin winced, knowing he was completely cornered.

“Now Kou- it wasn’t that bad-“She cut him off with the tinkling of a small, nervous laugh. Great, she was worried, exactly what Rin was attempting to avoid.

“Don’t worry. We’ll talk about it at lunch. I’ll see you then, love you!” The line went dead and Rin rubbed his temples, fastening up the telephone. He snapped his fingers, the rest of the cleaning supplies snapping into attention, beginning to clean the entirety of his apartment inside of the ship. He rolled his eyes over to the relieved smile on Makoto’s face.

“Don’t look so self-satisfied. It’s just lunch.” He grumbled off to bathe, leaving Makoto in the room with the old piano that had been left to gather dust since the day the old Captain had gone overboard all of those years ago.

 

*****

Several hours later, an excited blond dragged his Mad Scientist of a lover across town, his laughter tinkling like little bells while he skipped, stopping them both in front of a shop with a sparkling sign that simply foretold “Trinkets and Treasures”, a quiet merchant tinkering with a rustic looking violin, seeming to tune it without playing it, the strings giving off a slight glow that only increased once the pair had made it into the little shop. This seemed to mean something to the man behind the counter, his eyes widening when he gently set the instrument into the confines of the velvet-lined box with the bow, snapping shut the lid with care, and laying something a soft green on top before tucking it out of sight below the counter.

“Rei-chan! Look, do you think she’ll like this?” The boy gestured to a jewel-encrusted comb, silver, though slightly tarnished, with little emeralds and sapphires sparkling along the top. The shopkeeper blinked up at him.

“She might, Nagisa. It’s rather beautiful.” The taller of the two gazed at the trinket with admiration in his glimmering vision, considering the object with an interested smile, aesthetics seeming to have caught his fancy.

“The user will go bald.” The merchant supplied helpfully before drinking down a glass of water, revealing the shimmering blue of scales across his collar as he tipped his head back greedily, a perfect contrast to the gentle disinterest of his quip, a light warning tucked behind Rei’s ear so discreetly, the man had almost missed it altogether.

Rei sputtered for a moment, looking like a regular fish out of water, making the actual fish out of water crack a small smile when he wiped the rest of the water from the corner of his lips fast enough that if you had blinked, you would have missed it. Nagisa, of course, who preferred to use all of the energy he had on really experiencing the beauty of everything first hand, had not missed it and supplied a wide grin of his own. He knew first hand that life was too short to take things like the smiles of strangers for granted.

“Ah, a smile looks nice on you! I’d like very much to see it again sometime. My name is Nagisa, what is yours?” The other blinked, a little bit nervously, a little bit taken aback by how bright the ray of sunshine in front of him actually was. He furrowed his brow, processing the question and attempting to determine the intent behind it. He opened his mouth to answer when he was cut off by a silver-haired boy who was rushing into the shop, hastily tying an apron around his waist, a basket on his arm.

“Haruka-san! I apologize for being tardy, it took longer to get here from the Black Spot today. Rin-san was really busy in prep for something and needed more help, and well Makoto-san can only do so much without hands. He must have tried to put the vials in the basket ten times!” A good-natured smile graced the mousy boy’s features as he handed over the sandy, earthy vial to his boss- Haruka- who took said concoction with the slight wrinkling of his nose from the youth. At the mention of Makoto’s name, the man’s expression softened.

“That’s okay. Thank you.” He grimaced before downing the Pocket of Earth, strength returning to his bones as he stood straighter and faced the blond, some of his scales shimmering away into smooth porcelain skin. “Haru. I’m Haru.” The blond beamed and gestured to his lover, who still seemed to be uncomfortable in the interactions of this social setting.

“This is Rei-chan. He’s my boyfriend, and maker! He revived me using a new kind of science. He says that I’m one of a kind, but that’s not the reason why. He tells me I’m special.” Haru laughed internally at the way Rei’s face flashed redder and redder. “Are you a merfolk, Haru-chan? And do you know Mako-chan too?” the blond blinked up at him expectantly, an excited smile plastered across his face while he bounced on his tip-toes.

“Just Haru. I am merfolk.” He licked his lips, looking over to the direction of the Black Spot. “And no one of the name Mako-chan knows my name.” He quietly grabbed a little crystal flower that was enchanted to turn into a dancing figure once music was played. “Set this before her and have the captain play for you. It’s free.”

Nagisa blinked brightly, Rei opening his mouth in thanks just in time for the mysterious man to disappear completely, leaving the little selchie in charge. Nagisa’s eyes flashed with a glimmer of recognition just in time for Rei to make a realization of his own.

“How did he know that Makoto could play piano?”

*****

Makoto hummed softly to himself, trying to stay in the same space to keep the mop from overworking while the door chimed, his face immediately chasing away the ghost of a frown with a brilliant smile, offering a grand bow to the woman entering the shop, waist downturned.

“Good afternoon, mi’lady!” Kou giggled and curtsied back, a frivolous intimacy that they could share, as Makoto was unable to offer any kind of physical greeting. He made do with being over-the-top with appearances, wanting to find a way to bring that warm smile out of her. He peeked up to see her eyes closed with glee and a dash of focus, attempting to remain in character, though her façade of propriety was already cracking.

“Permission to come aboard, Captain?” She grinned cheekily up at him, and yes, her eyes held that same glimmer of mischief that Rin’s would whenever he had a clever quip or a new spell up his sleeve.

“Permission granted, mi’lady! Now let me just fetch my first mate so he can grab your bags.” He winked at her just in time for Rin to saunter in with a snort.

“’First mate’, huh? Well, I guess that’s a step up from the cabin boy, at least.” He winked over at Makoto, who bashfully rubbed the back of his head, his hair swirling around wildly as if the current around him was speeding up in embarrassment. “Hey, Kou.” He wrapped his arms around her, genuinely glad to have her around. “This creep isn’t hitting on you, is he? Because I have it on good authority that he’s way too old for my baby sister.” Makoto and Kou both rolled their eyes at that, though they knew Rin had a point. He may have looked around 22, but he had been on earth for much, much longer than that.

“Come on, Rin, you know she’s not my type.” Rin nodded with a thoughtful hum, looking back over to Makoto, an arm wrapped over his baby sister’s shoulders.

“You’re right, the whole ‘has a pulse’ thing. How could I forget?” His eyes sparkled mischievously when he raised his eyebrows, his eyebrows only furrowing once Makoto responded with a quick shake of the head, immediately discrediting Rin’s remark with his eyes as wide and innocent as saucers.

“No, I just don’t like girls like that.” Makoto’s innocent smile cracked into a self-satisfied grin as a surprised sunrise dawned behind Rin’s eyes.

“Oh. Oh. Okay. That’s cool, yeah.” Rin’s dazed edges sharpened once he beamed over at his friend. He was touched, really, that Makoto had let him in at least that much, being a player in the present instead of the memory of what’s passed, a silly thing to be proud of, considering his friend was literally a ghost. He picked up his sister’s bag, locking up shop for lunch, knowing that Nagisa and Rei would be able to find them from the back way a little later. “Let’s head upstairs. I got the table ready. The lunch table. I want to eat first, is that fair?”

“Sounds good to me.” Kou was beaming up at her brother, glad to have such a warm welcome this time. The last time he needed her to clarify a premonition, he had locked himself in a closet, enchanting it so that his boyfriend at the time was unable to break the door down to get to him, despite his animal strength. That had been a hard time for everyone, especially with The Curse hanging over Rin’s head like a dagger. “I brought a spread. We could picnic on the deck, if you wanted. It’s a beautiful day.”

Rin looked over to where Makoto drifted along, seeing the smile wither just a little bit. He blinked, making eye-contact and offering a discreet nod. He knew it was often hard for Makoto to leave the confines of the cabin, but it would probably do Makoto some good to try to break routine.

“I’m fine with it, but only if Makoto wants to.” Rin smiled, leaving the decision to the dead crewman, if with a little bit of pressure.

“You know what? Sure, yeah. Let’s go.”

*****

 

Haru rolled the bit of sea glass between his thumb and his forefinger, smiling softly at the smoothness of it, and the color of it. It was that minty green that had been haunting him more strongly lately. He immediately stored it away into the little envelope as soon as Aiichiro peeked his head into the back room, having closed up shop for the pair to share a lunch of grilled Mackerel the boy had picked up from the shop. Being of similar background, the friends shared a disposition for the fish, granted one of them had been enjoying if for a great many more years than the other.

 _“That was kind of you. Earlier I mean. I think you made that boy's day brighter.”_ Nitori began in the language of the ocean, knowing Haru occasionally preferred the gentle crash and pull that the diction of it had on the listener’s ears. He had requested it of the silver-haired boy, at one point in time. Haru cast his eyes over to the side, covering his small smile with the palm of his hand. He shrugged.

“They were friends of a friend.” Aiichiro nodded. Haru never spoke the language himself, though neither of them addressed it. Aiichiro understood that some people had their secrets, and they were such for a reason. Haru appreciated Aiichiro immeasurably for it.

 _“I hope you can see more of them.”_ Nitori took out his potion from earlier, uncorking it with his teeth and smiled before downing the silver liquid, shaking his head at the saltiness of it with a smile.

“Yeah.” Haru’s answer was almost unperceivable, but it was there. Faint, almost far away, but there nonetheless, like the lull of the shore not too far from the city. He peeked over to the envelope, licking his lips, a nervous habit of him, he was realizing. He let an idea swirl around his head, grateful for his own palm hiding the further tugging of the corner of his lips before the private smile fell off his face.

It was almost time, at the very least. The pieces were starting to come together.

*****

“No, but Makoto, you definitely have more chains now than you did when we first met. Don’t get me wrong, you’re as handsome as ever, but don’t they ever get heavy?” Kou bat her eye-lashes over at the ghost who levitated across the way, a decent enough distance from the picnic blanket. The last think he wanted to do was get her linens wet with his weird ecto-ocean-water.

“What, you don’t like them? Here I thought they made me look more strapping. It’s better than just the one looping on the side, at least. It’s more symmetrical, right?” Makoto laughed lightly. He had never really been a fan of the clunky metal chains. They did have a way of weighing him down deeper onto the earth, and the way that they rattled really ground his bones, or they would, had any. Still, being able to have this back and forth with everyone, it took off some of the heaviness, and he was grateful.

  
“With your pirate shirt all open like that and those leather pants? Makoto, you look like a bondage slave out of a tacky pirate romance novel.” Rin rested his chin onto his palm while he voiced his observation. “Just say it once for me, please? I swear I’ll leave you alone about how you died for a solid week if you say it.” Makoto puffed out his cheeks indignantly.

  
“I told you I wouldn’t. Rin, that’s so embarrassing.”

  
“C’mon, a whole week.” Makoto heaved a heavy sigh, licking his lips while he rolled his eyes and crossed his legs, bobbing a little bit with his hovering. He gestured to himself, completely water-logged, dripping, his clothes and chains flowing in an imaginary current. He pierced Rin with his heavily-lashed gaze and cracked a small, mischievous smile.

  
“God, Rin. I’m just, _so wet_.” He licked his lips again before covering his face with an embarrassed chuckle. “Happy?”

  
“Damn, Ghost-boy. You almost had me there. How did you die single?” Makoto peaked up with a devilish smile, cocking his head to the side.

  
“Maybe I didn’t.” He laughed, seeing the question forming on Rin’s lip before cutting him off. “A whole week!”

  
Kou was mid-giggle when it hit her. She clutched her heart, gasping, her breathing ragged, shallow, head lolling before she collapsed, Rin rushing to catch her, eyes that had once been a brilliant ruby sparkle inking to a blank white slate, her lips quivering, her throat hoarse as words clawed themselves out of her. Her knuckles matched her eyes from where she grasped Rin’s flimsy peasant shirt, using as much of him as support as she could. He winced, keeping his gaze locked onto her face, knowing the sooner this passed, the better it would be for her.

 _“The cursed one returns for you. He whistles aside the shore. He arrive before the fall of night. The cursed one- he brings deceptions. He brings glass hope. He- he-”_ She gasped, her voice the crunching of gravel. _“He carries folly. He carries an end.”_ A shriek of pain tore out of her just before she swooned, her eyes rolling back, her grasp slacking as she went limp in her brother’s arms, blood tricking from the corner of her mouth. Rin scooped her up, his shoulders tense and heavy while Makoto looked on helplessly. He used the corner of his handkerchief to dab the blood off of the corner of her mouth, as he had done when they were young and she had last uttered news of the curse.

“Well then, I guess I have some things to prepare for. Hey, Makoto? Tell Nagisa and Rei that my sister is ill for the day, but that they’re welcome to dinner tomorrow? I’m thinking she’ll be here for a few days, and their company would do her some good. These take a lot out of her.” Premonitions like these always used more of her than her typical abilities, directly related to the previous condemned souls of the curse. Rin winced remembering their father, and then bringing her down into the hull of the ship to tuck her away into his bedroom, the picnic packing itself up to store itself away, trusting the ghost to do as asked.

*****  
One would think that with senses like Sousuke Yamazaki's, getting lost would be near impossible, his nose as sharp as any could be. Especially considering how much he traveled, living his nomadic life trying to run away from his many broken promises. He often wondered if whoever had cursed him for this life as an animal had also taken away his locational skills, though he knew now what exactly threw off his instincts. He was drawn to a very specific kind of ruin. He grimaced, jogging ahead. He needed to get where he was going before nightfall, at least, the subtle hope that there would be a bed for him and a potion for the pain, maybe a tranquilizer for the moon that was fast approaching. He peered up from the shores he trudged up from, seeing the skyline. He grimaced, feeling that familiar tug.  
Maybe this time it would be different. There was no promising that he was walking into the mouth of the serpent. He climbed up a steep stairway guiding him up the cliffs to the city on the ledge, the scents and sounds of the city momentary overwhelming him. He glowered, shuffling to the closest venue with the friendliest face. He glowered at the silver of the trinkets in the shop, immediately bumping into a silver-haired boy who reeked of the sea breezes he had just had his senses pummeled with, holding the underlying smell of, what was that?

_Loss, mingling with a dash of resentment. And seal?_

Selchie?

Sousuke cleared his throat. Maybe it was knowing what the boy had in common with him that made trusting him that much easier. The shared animal instincts, the feeling of having something torn away, the bitterness toward circumstance. These things were familiar. They promised understanding. He smiled down at the boy, though he had obviously startled him, a small squeak emitted from the willowy boy, his own shadow looming, casting over the entirety of the younger.

  
“Sorry to bother you. I’m um-“Sousuke’s senses were slowly becoming more overwhelmed, his head spinning. Over-stimulation was a constant problem around The Moon. But he needed to push on, grimacing.

  
“Lost? My name is Aiichiro.” The smaller of the two supplied for him, peering up at him nervously. “Are you okay? You don’t look like you’re feeling very well. Um! No offense- I um, I didn’t mean-“

  
“No, you’re right. I need the apothecary. It’s urgent.” Sousuke was nearly blinded by the smile from the selchie at the opportunity to help, a private joke seeming to dance behind Aiichiro’s eyes.

  
“Sure, just come with me. I’m headed to the Black Spot now.” He guided the hulking man toward the looming ship in the distance. “I actually had a delivery to make, so it’s no trouble.”

  
The familiar tug in Sousuke’s chest deepened his grimace, signaling that, yes, there would be more trouble than the helpful shop boy could even fathom, though it was far too late to turn back without putting anyone in danger. There was no guaranteeing he would make it out of civilization by the following evening. He shoved his fists into his pockets and shuffled on forward.

  
“Thanks.”  
*****

In the confines of Rin’s room, he finished fastening the last of his protective trinkets around his neck with a dark smirk. He may have been behaving melodramatically, but it was better safe than sorry. Besides, what was one more proverbial nail in the coffin?

“Rin?” Kou’s eyes fluttered open, wide, nervous, but back to that comforting shade of cherry that made Rin relax just a touch more. He sat beside her and ran his fingers through her hair, offering her a glass of water that she drank down greedily, immediately soothing the rawness there.

  
“Hey, princess. You feeling okay?” He smiled softly down at her, his armor catching her eye, though she made no comment. His knuckles rubbed soothing circles into her back as he took the glass and set it aside.

  
“Rin.” Her voice was like sandpaper, making him wince and press a soft kiss to her forehead, though the water helped smooth it out some. “Rin, he’s here.” He blinked, unsure as she gave his hand a tender squeeze. He swallowed the lump in his throat, his hands shaking slightly, that tug inside of his chest encouraging him down the stairs. He let out a shaky breath and stood the bed giving a hollow creak, getting ready to tuck her in for the evening. He dragged the comforter up to her chin and shuffled across, throwing a sad half-smile over his shoulder once he made it to the doorway.

  
“I know.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading, your feedback is always appreciated. I think you can tell the spots where I was incredibly self-indulgent, can't you? 
> 
> I wish I could draw. I've been plagued with this mental image of Makoto in a white open romance novel style pirate shirt that just occasionally like clings to him. And those chains. And that pissed off little mop. Poor mop. Takes everyone's shit. Free him.
> 
> [My tumblr](http://silverseeker24345.tumblr.com/), if you're interested!  
> [Chapter Song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUGzY-ihqWc)  
> This is the remix of the original. ^-^


	3. Dark Come Soon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "W-who are you?" Sousuke blinked, the pallor of the ghost waning further than he thought possible, obviously curious as to how exactly this stranger had managed to bring something so inherently tied to this ship, to him as a spirit and a concept, that it was feasible beneath his fingertips. He opened his mouth to speak when their eavesdropper answered for him, clunking down the rest of the stairs with a jingling, heavy-footed thud for every step.
> 
>  
> 
> "Sousuke. I was expecting you. Did Makoto here get you what you needed or can I help you with something else?" Sousuke kept his expression stoic, allowing the slight quirk of his lip in a soft smirk while the other glinted and sparkled at him teasingly.
> 
> "Well, Red, aren't you a sight for sore eyes."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not betaed at all I'm sorry. I wrote this in a tick of a hurry. The first song is the poem from:  
> Padraic Colum (1881–1972). Anthology of Irish Verse. 1922.
> 
> 174\. The Daisies
> 
> By James Stephens
> 
> I hope you like this!

The pair lay entangled on a blanket beneath the stars, nude, chest to chest, palms pressed together in a half-dance of sorts, the redhead leading their laced fingers into wide circles while he smiled brightly down onto his lover’s face, blissful and coy and just a little bit debauched, his hair wild and tangled and more beautiful than any sunrise Sousuke had ever seen. He leaned up to press a gentle kiss to the corner of Rin’s mouth, breathless, giddy, rolling them so that he could pin the leaner man below him and press a soft kiss to the man’s forehead before resting his own against it, a somber expression briefly swallowing up his smile.

“Aren’t you scared?” This earned him a swift smack to the arm, along with an eye-roll from the other, encouraging him to relax into a sly smile. “I mean, I am the big bad wolf, after all.” His breath hitched when he felt Rin’s hands slide up his shoulders, resting at the nape of his neck, fingernails lightly scraping at the hair there, a coy smile supplying a dazzling view of those jagged pearly whites.

“What does that make me? Little Red?” The red head tipped his head back, offering the tantalizing view of the hollow of his throat, his jugular bobbing while he swallowed, making Sousuke want nothing more than to lean forward and press a soft kiss there. In fact he did so, taking note of the pleased shiver that trembled though his lover’s frame.

“If the cape fits.” Sousuke breathed against the soft skin beneath his lips before letting his kisses there become more daring, trying for a light nip, out of curiosity, rewarded by a breathless moan taking the place of any rebuttal the redhead would have made. “Little Red. I like it.” He slid back up, resting on his side, head propped up so he could gaze down into Rin’s face, a soft, affectionate smile tugging softly at his lips, crinkling the corner of his eyes with the ghost of amusement. His other hand lightly stroked circles into Rin’s hip, occasionally splaying out his fingers so that his palm could properly caress the ridges and planes there, appreciating the smoothness like silk against the coarseness of his own calloused hand, rough from work and wilderness.

“Careful, Wolfy. You’re not falling for me, are you?” Red lashes fluttered up at him, hope glimmering beneath the depths of those rosy, champagne bubble irises, a soft smile promising Sousuke the stars, the night, an eternity, bordered by mild concern, undefined courses, an adventure. He felt the intense desire to just be closer, wanting as much of this boy’s space and time as he was allowed, something untamed beneath his ribcage instantly bowing down to this redheaded vixen's every whim. It was much too late for either of them, they both knew, but what was the damage of a thinly veiled lie? 

“I wouldn’t dream of it, Red.” Sousuke closed the distance between them with his lips, breathing Rin in, like a pitiful moth drawn to the flame. He knew he was playing with fire, but it felt too good to stop. He might not have been able to say it, but he would show the other just how much he meant to Sousuke.

*****

 

Sousuke glowered, looking up at the ship looming over him. 

The Black Spot definitely had a flair of extravagance to it, reminiscent of the passionate Redhead, if under a tacky and inappropriate moniker. He wondered idly of how many people had wandered in to purchase curses, rather than the remedies the Redhead had usually contributed. Then again, time had passed, things had certainly changed, and it was completely possible that the Crimson-haired wizard could bottle up curses to sell by the bottle. He was sure that betrayal was a hot seller these days. 

He let out a bitter snicker to himself at that, licking his lips for a moment and nervously shuffled toward the door. On a molecular level, he knew this was the place, everything about him screaming at him to open the door, go up the stairs, wrap the other up in his arms and just say his peace. Of course, his pride and common sense held him to a different standard, and he knew that to hope for anything else would be foolish and pointless. Anything else was just the effects of his curse get the better of him, desire being overshadowed by Sousuke’s incredible will-power, or so he told himself.

There was a light tug at his sleeve and he looked down, remembering his guide to this rustic, intimidating place, who blinked up at him nervously. 

“U-um, actually, if it’s not too much trouble, could you bring this in with you? It’s not anything bad, at least I don't think. It's just that I was instructed to leave this somewhere secret so that it wouldn't be linked back to me or the shop. I'm quiet, but I'm not exactly the smoothest. But if I gave it to you, it would be harder to trace!" The young man smiled brightly, confidently, hopefully. "It would really mean a lot to me, if you did."

 

Sousuke looked at the handkerchief tied up tightly, raising an eyebrow at it. Nothing particularly fishy read off of it, aside from the stench of fish, especially mackerel, the trinkets shop seemed to have wafted off of in layers. With the fishy smell and glimmering silver there, the little place was definitely werewolf-protected, at least according to Sousuke's senses. Still, it would only be fair to show this stranger some of the kindness owed to him. A migraine from the overwhelming bustle of the city began to throb between his ears and behind his eyes. He took the parcel delicately with a small smile. 

 

"Sure. Thank you for your help. I hope to see you again." He looked back to the doors and grit his teeth, shuffling and gently twisted the metal of the door handle, grateful that in this instance it was silver-free. He shuffled inside, the warmth of the shop not anything like he expected, not a redhead in sight. Instead, a ghost, handsome, though water-logged, smiled from behind the counter, looking as on-edge as a ghost was capable. 

 

"Good afternoon! Um, only the shop is open for right now. I'm afraid that if you need anything custom, the potions master is attending to an emergency. But I can do my best to help!" Sousuke watched the specter rattle around the corner to be closer, a mop following behind him to mop up the eerie puddle trail. 

"That's completely fine. Actually, that's perfect. Do you sell Moonstruck and anything that works as a tranquilizer? Siren's Song is usually the best for me for that." Makoto smiled, turning to rifle through a shelf, a basket levitating to allow a shimmering bottle filled with a liquid pale golden light to settle into the bottom. There was a frustrated hum, and the shuffle of a mop following him to the other side of the shop. 

"I'm sorry, we're all out of that sleeping draught. There is one other, Etherium, which would work as strongly, and only takes a minute. I know he's busy, but I could always pop upstairs to ask and- what's that?" The poltergeist had stopped, eyeing the hand headed for the basket and finally spotting the little parcel, the embellished old fabric of the hanky catching his eye. The sailer licked his lips, frozen in time, and had Sousuke not caught the basket, he was certain it would have tumbled to the floor. 

"What's what? Oh, I was instructed by a stranger to give this to someone." He looked it over, realizing he was never told who he should be handing it to. He eyed the little lace ribbons tying it together and blinked, letting the handle of the basket settle against his muscular forearm to utilize his hand to lift the tag to the light.

"Captain Tachibana?" The ghost- apparently Tachibana- lost some of that forced smile, a haunted expression splashing across his face, icy and unforgiving. "Do you- is that you?" The deceased raised his fingers to his lips, giving a small nod. "Do you- um, can you take this?" 

Handsome brows furrowed slightly, mild curiosity pained across them, with mild frustration. 

 

"I don't know if I can. I'm sorry, this is a little strange but, can you hold something beneath my hand- just in case?" The ghost slowly lost his warm, together demeanor, looking more frazzled by the minute. There was a creak signaling the entrance of someone on the stairway, though they remained out of sight. 

 

"I can do that." He held the basket under Tachibana's eager outstretched palm before dropping the parcel, expecting a mild "thud". Instead he was met with a startled squeal, the ghost clutching the item, looking a little bit perturbed by the article in his hand, fists at his mouth. 

"W-who are you?" Sousuke blinked, the pallor of the ghost waning further than he thought possible, obviously curious as to how exactly this stranger had managed to bring something so inherently tied to this ship, to him as a spirit and a concept, that it was feasible beneath his fingertips. He opened his mouth to speak when their eavesdropper answered for him, clunking down the rest of the stairs with a jingling, heavy-footed thud for every step.

 

"Sousuke. I was expecting you. Did Makoto here get you what you needed or can I help you with something else?" Sousuke kept his expression stoic, allowing the slight quirk of his lip in a soft smirk while the other glinted and sparkled at him teasingly.

"Well, Red, aren't you a sight for sore eyes." 

*****

 

Makoto laughed, blinking up at the sky, the Stars sparkling down on him. The rest of his crew had gone out to find brothels and inns, finding their land legs for the evening, but Makoto knew there was really no other place for him. He loved his ship, and he would watch over her for as long as he lived. He often offered that she was the love of his life, a running joke between he and his first-mate, Sasabe about how he had run away from an arranged marriage to experience this kind of freedom. He took out his violin, peeking down to see the big blue eyes staring up at him. 

"Oh, you're back again, are you? Hmm, what should I play you this time? I found this one in a quiet port over in the green isles. Maybe you'll like it?" He smiled warmly at the little head popping out of the water, having gotten used to the presence in time, despite the old dangers regarded to him in fisherman's tales. But this one seemed harmless enough, usually stopping by for a private show. He climbed down the side of the ship to sit closer to the water, sitting on a beam jut out the side, smiling at the pouty merman in the water who only peeked the rest of his head out once Makoto situated closer to him, violin in hand. The merman never spoke, but Makoto found that he could easily read the other regardless. 

He lifted his violin and began to pull out the lilting melody for the other, who's blue eyes closed appreciatively, getting lost in the melody which seemed to exist on another plane altogether. Makoto smiled, happy to see the way the other would respond to his playing, his feelings pouring out from his fingers dancing along the strings, his arm guiding the bow in a special waltz. He opened his lips to sing, a wry smile playing at his lips.

"In the scented bud of the morning- O', when the windy grass went rippling far. I saw my dear one walking slow in the fields where the daisies are." He raised his eye brows, allowing his eyes to convey the story along with the lyric. The merman peered up, conflicted, seeming to enjoy the song without enjoying it at all. 

Suddenly there was a loud splash, Makoto swiftly getting drenched- though his violin remained safe and dry as the merman dipped down, grumpily gazing up, sunk down to his nose again. Makoto tried to hide his surprised laugh.

"Well, I guess you didn't like that one, then. That's okay, we'll just find you another. Though you didn't have to splash me." Blue eyes widened in recognition, a flicker of something rippling across his features that Makoto could only associate with embarrassment. "It's okay though. Maybe you'll like this one, more. It makes me think of you. I hope that's not too forward." The fishboy relaxed around the edges, bobbing back up, leaning a scaly, sparkly arm on the platform Makoto sat on. 

The violin rang out, and dizzying flowing melody that dipped and swirled like rippling currents, ringing out and playing with the transition from major motifs to minor, captivating the merman. Makoto's voice rang out in a warm, sunkissed, trilling kind of "ah", weaving in and out of the melody ringing from the strings easily maneuvered with his dexterous fingers. 

"The tides may pull and the tides may chase, and the tides may turn me blue, but along with the wind and the sea I chase, my pulse still races for you. Yes my pulse still races for you." He smiled gently, nervously at the other who offered a soft smile at this new melody, his own face hot, though that smile encouraged him to continue. 

"And when we reach the world's end, I'll happily plunge right in through, for though I know I can sink or swim, I would happily dive in for you. Yes I would happily dive in for you." Blue eyes were blinking at him now, that flustered blush dusting along the man's cheeks while he rested his face on his webbed-palms. 

"So the tides may pull and the tides may chase, and the tides may turn me blue, but through every tempestuous storm I face, I promise to follow you, yes, I am happy to follow you." Makoto drew out the last notes before lowering his violin, smiling sheepishly down at the merman who blinked up at him with wide eyes. 

"I'm not much of a composer. Or a lyricist. I know it's a little bit silly. And forward, oh my gosh that might have been way too forward. I'm sorry." The other shook his head diving down, leaving Makoto to gasp and peer over, worry tugging at his brow. "Oh no, please don't go, I-" the inky wet tresses popped up from the depths, smiling a little bit wider as he hoisted himself to sit beside Makoto, pressing something smooth and hard and wet into his hand. Relief flooded through the sailor at the sea folk's return, relaxation lowering his shoulders as he looked down to the sea glass smoothed out in his hand, edged rounded, a vibrant mint color sparkling up at him, worth more than any treasure he'd ever had. 

"This means you liked it? Thank you. That makes me happy. This one is even more beautiful than the last." The other often brought Makoto sea glass as a sort of payment for these private concerts, though he usually stayed in the ocean. This time, Makoto tentatively turned his head, pressing his lips together tightly, a nervous smile up-turning the corners of his mouth. He released his lips, cocking his head to the side, beaming at the scaly boy next to him. 

"You're so beautiful. You make the melodies create themselves. You make me want to chase the same freedoms I see in you." Everything happened quickly, a wet, soft press of lips collided with Makoto's cheek before the merman was covering his own mouth and disappeared into the shimmering inky depths below them, his sapphire fin offering a final flick as he propelled away while the sailor clutched his cheek with a dazed smile. He sat there for just a little while after before climbing back up to add his little treasure to the collection and write down the experience in his journal. The smile never left his face for the rest of the evening. 

 

*****

"You don't get to call me that anymore." You could cut the tension of the shop with a knife, the Redhead glaring and smirking up at the looming stranger's similar expression, glimmering in the warm glow cast by the lanterns. Makoto heaved a heavy sigh, sure that he had not signed up for the throw down about to go down, or even the parenting he knew he should probably be implementing on Rin at that moment. Instead, he slipped up the stairs to lock himself into his old captain's chamber, the only room in the place that only Makoto could get into, toting his new little parcel along. 

Sousuke bared his teeth in more of a grimace than a smile, feeling his skin crawl. Still, pride outweighed discomfort, the vicious chill scraping through his veins, eyeing the other who stood in front of him, a glimmer of victory in his haughty gaze. 

"Right. Of course not. So, Rin. Did you rob a jewelry store, or are you just happy to see me?" The redhead had been decked out in silver chains and trinkets, an elegant version of what Makoto was trapped in. He had thin silver chords dangling in loops from his hips and shoulders, wrist cuffs glinting dangerously, necklaces draped over his chest and throat, hoops winking from his ears, even a stud bouncing on his tongue. 

The most personal touch, of course, had been the little chains occasionally braided and twisted through little locks of Rin's free-flowing hair, that both knew Sousuke had once dedicated his time to running his fingers through, marveling at the rouge tresses with absolute admiration. 

"What, these old things? You know me, I like to make sure what I wear counts." His smile was fake, blistering like cinnamon all over Sousuke's senses and he wondered how someone who could make his blood boil like that could still see so intoxicatingly good. 

"I'm not here to start anything, Rin. I'm not going to sink to your level. Christ, I just need to get this shit and then find like a shelter. You know how close it is." That ruffled the redhead's feather's just beautifully, deflating some of that proud, decorated malice while he shuffled into the room behind the counter, gesturing for the other to follow behind. Most of the jewelry vanished as he went, though the hair pieces stayed, serving as a reminder that Sousuke could look but not touch. The overwhelming sense of relief flooded through the werewolf at that, at least making it a little bit easier to breath. He sat on an old chair in the corner. 

"So, Etherium isn't hard to make. I just need something of yours to bind it to you. Some of your hair should work just fine. Really, your coat would work better. Um-" he flushed heavily, and if Sousuke weren't pretending he was unaffected, he would have thought that Rin looked as pretty as ever. The wizard reached up on his toes to get a little jar full of black tufts of fur from the top shelf. "It um, comes in handy." Sousuke snorted when the Redhead took out a pinch to add to a daisy yellow vial, the concoction immediately turning into an inky black. He corked it and handed it to the larger man, bristling when their fingers brushed. 

"That's that, I guess, um, I should go now." He stood, instead inching toward the redhead tentatively. The silver began to shimmer out of the redhead's hair, though he looked unaware, his eyes widening, his Adam's apple bobbing nervously. 

"Yeah. You probably should." He stepped closer, the pull between them unintentional, natural, gravitational. Before either of them knew it, they were toe-to-toe. Sousuke ghosted Rin's cheek with his fingertips. He leaned forward, tasting Rin's cinnamon breath on his lips, ready to close the distance.

Until the ship began to creak and rumble and moan, the lights flickering. A cold drop of water landed on Rin's cheek as he pulled back.

 

"Makoto?" Red eyes widened with worry. "What the fuck did you do?" They rushed up stairs, Sousuke entirely unsure of why he felt the need to follow in the first place while the ship was under duress.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know your thoughts at [my tumblr](http://silverseeker24345.tumblr.com/)  
> The chapter song for this is here: [Chapter Song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wirjMsg8-d4)


	4. Dead Hearts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A frustrated sob bubbled out of Rin, while he dropped to his knees, looking over at Sousuke who avoided the invisible tugging of ropes, blocking the flying of buckets and canons from hitting Rin with a wince, his strength only magnified by the time of the month. There was a swallow, worried red lips whispering up at Sousuke again, defeated. 
> 
> “What the fuck did you do?” The redhead repeated, a wet trail soaking down those lovely cheeks. Rather than offering Rin an explanation, Sousuke rolled his shoulders, stretching out his limbs before dropping into a lunge, a starting position for a solid sprint

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I'm sorry about the wait, everyone! I hope that you enjoy!

At exactly 11:48 every evening, the lights would flicker aboard The Black Spot, before completely plummeting darkness around the inhabitants. The ship’s masts suddenly lowered as if ready to set sail, a haunting breeze catching them for a long and solid three minutes and thirty seven seconds, nearly catapulting the ship into a different timeline, a different plane of existence, a time when it was considered a waif’s refuge, when it was dubbed the Enchanted Emerald, fondly referred to as Emmy by the crew. The initial confusion, that first time, of course was short lived for Rin, once he had stumbled upon Makoto, always in the same horrific state no matter where he was, though he usually tried to be private about it, tucking away where he could neither be seen nor heard, wanting to prevent a disturbance for anyone on board.

The issue at hand lay not in the twitching and groaning of the ship, or the whipping of the ropes as Rin banged against the rusted-shut doors of the captain’s chamber, his brows knit together in worry, an eerie, icy wind lashing through his hair, whipping at his face. Nor in the way the flickering completely had abruptly shut down into complete darkness, that seemed to pulse around the pair of living, rushing up and up to where Makoto no doubt was. It was in the way the sun only had just sunken beneath the horizon, hours away from 11:48 pm. It was the way that this was unprecedented, unpredictable, with a malevolent edge to the desperation the ship seemed to emit, entirely linked to Makoto's feelings, emoting for him while he rasped on the other side of the door. Rin’s chest heaved, jagged dread squeezing around his heart, pressing against his lungs, which felt too full for his ribcage in his panic. He winced, aiming his hands at the door, groaning as he tried to use an invisible force to pry it open, the timing making him question the endurance of this paranormal activity, as well as Makoto’s wellbeing. There was a gurgling behind the door, the scraping of heavy heavy chains, but it held, concealing the horrors behind it's harsh unwavering stature, despite the obvious magical tug, and groan of the door against its hinges. A frustrated sob bubbled out of Rin, while he dropped to his knees, looking over at Sousuke who avoided the invisible tugging of ropes, blocking the flying of buckets and canons from hitting Rin with a wince, his strength only magnified by the time of the month. There was a swallow, worried red lips whispering up at Sousuke again, defeated. 

“What the fuck did you do?” The redhead repeated, a wet trail soaking down those lovely cheeks. Rather than offering Rin an explanation, Sousuke rolled his shoulders, stretching out his limbs before dropping into a lunge, a starting position for a solid sprint.

"Red, breath. You need to push, not pull." He took in a calming inhale, offering an uncomfortable smile. "If you push, I can help." His suggestion was met with a bitter laugh, vermillion eyes clear and smoldering like embers about to ignite.

 

"Why should I trust you?" It was spat with such venomous conviction, snaking it's way up Sousuke's spine, wrapping around his own heart and giving a painful squeeze. Though of course, the other had a point. Their separation was not entirely on the best of terms. But he would help here, as long as he was able, if not for Rin, then to fix whatever turmoil he had caused the spirit in the first place.

 

"You can't. But what other choice do you have." With that, Sousuke launched himself at the door, groaning once his shoulder made impact, his trust lying with Rin despite their troubled past. He grunted, feeling the shift of the energy around him pushing against the door. He reeled back and threw the weight of his body into the unforgiving, jagged wood once more, and then again and then again, feeling it begin to give while the redhead heaved his own magical wall of energy at the door, forcing it against it's restraints from behind him. The wolf's shoulder began to throb.

 

Finally, the hinges gave way, a cracking, angry screeching signaling the fall of the heavy thing, accompanied by a hearty 'crack', and followed by a significant 'boom' echoing through out. Sousuke winced, rubbing his shoulder while he followed Rin inside, who gazed up with wide eyes at the gentle ghost from before, his eyes widening, a comforting arm being placed around the redhead before Sousuke was even conscious of the action.

 

Makoto kicked and kicked, panic wide in his gaze while a hand clutched his throat, chains wrapping around him and dragging him up and down the room, jerking him around. The currents around him whirled, terror and pain and the ghost of heartbreak evident in his eyes while they lost consciousness, though he surely should have fainted at least ten minutes prior. Sobs bubbled up through the rasps, and suddenly the redhead was stepping forward tentatively, reaching out to try to touch one of Makoto's hands, which was rolled into a tight fist, concealing something that bit into his palm, as if forgetting Makoto lacked a physical form. Nervous fingertips reached out, those ruby eyes widening when they came into contact with Makoto's knuckle, instantly causing the spasms to cease, green eyes rolling back, spectral chains whipping through Rin as if they weren't there, reminding him that this caress should be impossible, and Makoto's body went limp, the current slowing and having him bob along in the waves, his breathing still a gurgle, growing weaker and weaker until the most shallow of breaths bubbled out, his head lolling to the side, the turbulence of the ship dying away with it, suddenly surrounding them with silent, doldrum stillness, and a cold, tight, uneasy calm.

 

Rin covered his mouth, tears streaming freely, Sousuke's palm flat against his back, running soothing circles into the tense muscle there as Rin's free hand gently pried open the clenched fist. He reached out to try to brush Makoto's hair soothingly, wanting to push it back, out of his face for whenever he would hopefully come-to. Instead he passed right through with a wince. The fist lay cold and wet and still in his own warm palm, however, once he pried it open, a glimmer of something caught his eye.

 

A piece of sea glass, mint green like the tides around this bay at dusk, flecked with emerald and grass and occasional sea-foam throughout, bright, like Makoto's eyes, in the shape of a heart, nestled comfortably between Makoto's life line and his love line, as if connecting the two. Rin's nostrils flared and he swallowed hard, the lights of the ship flickering back on slowly, time rebooting around them, the chains around Makoto loosening, drifting back to his hips while his eyes fluttered open wide with a startled, throaty gasp. His gaze flickered down to Rin's hand and he swallowed, seeing his hand nestled in the potion master's, feeling the ghost of that warmth, living, compassionate, gentle, and pressed against his own.

 

"Rin?" His voice was a throaty whisper, awe-struck, nervous, rifled with panic and perhaps a soft hope, something nostalgic, and present, foreign in the youth glittering in his irises. "Rin, you're touching me right now. We- there's contact." 

 

The three peered at the glass in Makoto's hand, the ghost licking his lips, blinking, managing to look dazed and completely focused all the same time, conviction rolling onto his face.

 

"Well, I can see you both have a lot to talk about. So maybe I should-" Sousuke winced, hissing while he clutched his shoulder, abrupt movement catching him off guard and propelling him into a hiss and a grimace, breaking Makoto and Rin out of their silent reverie, Makoto drifting over to Sousuke with concerned warmth in his gaze. Sousuke shivered as the air around him became thicker and colder, and he wondered how someone so warm could be so freezing.

 

"Oh no, you're hurt!" Rin, who had been having his quill scribble down notes in his ghost journal, snapped to attention, rushing forward to inspect Sousuke's shoulder with a grimace. He let out a small, shaky breath. 

 

"My good cauldron is down stairs. I'm going to call Rei to help. I think you both need some patching up. Sousuke should be pretty easy to fix up, but Makoto, well a necromancer is probably going to have some suggestions at the very least. " With that, the trio embarked down to Rin's workspace, shaken up, but still technically standing. 

*****

 

Makoto floated along, dazed, Rin standing in front of the cauldron with his book cracked open, the concoction beginning to simmer, Sousuke planted in a chair with his hand clutching his shoulder cautiously, letting out the occasional whimper, his moment of strength moved on for him to feel like a kicked puppy. Nagisa bounced from up in Kou's room, keeping her company while Rei flipped through his journals, inspecting the sea glass more carefully. 

 

"Hmmm, fascinating." The Necromancer scribbled an observation down, catching the interest of Makoto, who floated idly, fiddling with his chains, a new one strapping over his shoulder like a sash, connected at the metal belt around him.

 

Meanwhile, Rin brought a jar over to Sousuke, the cauldron only just shifting to that warm daisy hue, filling the room with a honeysuckle scent that felt like a spring sunset, golden and relaxing and full of promise. He shuffled closer, making sure his presence was known with a slight cough, embarrassment hot and rosy on his cheeks. He gestured at the injured section of Sousuke's body, the other simmering away, much like the brew over the fire. 

 

"Listen, Sou. You need to take off your shirt." He was met with a haughty glare, the other having enough to time to really dwell on the bad blood between the two. "You can let me take care of you in here, or we can go somewhere private, but that-" he gestured at the rumbled and torn garment- "has to go." Despite the obvious disapproval in Sousuke's piercing gaze, he managed to send a withering smirk, really more of a grimace than anything. 

 

"You want to get me out of my clothes that easy? Damn Red, who'da known you still carried a torch that big for me?" This was met with and eye-roll, which Sousuke would have laughed at, if he hurt a lot less. Instead he pulled back, into the chair, making no movement to do as instructed. 

"Come on, Sousuke. I need to get a look at it. That's your bad shoulder, and I can't patch it up unless I can see it. Can't you be serious for five minutes?" Sousuke's expression only grew colder, darker, a bitter huff tearing through his chest. His vulnerability grew evident with the way his voice rumbled, thick and wild and angry. 

 

"That's really something, coming from you." It was a cold bark, thick and unforgiving. He turned his face to the left, wanting to avoid eye contact. His heart jerked horribly a sign that his words had hit their mark with the barely audible intake of breath, and the way Rin reeked of regret and heartbreak. Still he continued on, his frustrated pain fueling him. "Besides, it's not like you particularly give a shit in the first place. But if you did, I'm sure I'd probably just lose my arm, anyway." He closed his eyes, not wanting to see any of the pain caused by his lashing out etched into that pretty face. He started, once soft fingers brushed knee, an instinctive growl rolling out of him when he snapped his attention to the other, who radiated conviction, his eyes burning with compassion, despite the obvious pain and discomfort. He scowled, his brows knit together, daring him to profess his true intent.

 

"I'm not asking you to fucking like me, or to even be happy about this. But I gave you a sliver of my trust before, and this is me asking you to let me repay you. This is me asking you to return the favor. Fuck, Sousuke, you want to get into a fist fight afterward? We can fucking brawl, but we don't have a whole lot of time to argue about this before the elixir is ready, so it would be really fucking helpful if you would let someone else help you out, for once." Sousuke paused, sinking into himself in a solid sulk, his heart hammering in his chest. Makoto and Rei pretended to not exist, off to the side, looking anywhere but at the pair while Rin practically lit himself aflame with the passion lacing his tone. 

 

Sousuke heaved a resigned sigh and hoisted himself up, leading Rin to the actually shoppe, wincing while he unbuttoned his shirt. Careful, dexterous fingers trembled while they joined his own, Rin helping him deposit his shirt. He took a silent victory in the way the redhead's cheeks still lit up at the sight of him, though once the other caught sight of the bruising over his red scar, the appreciation melted into obvious worry, the jar being opened, a tingling, clear goo making Sousuke whine once more as it tingled into the muscles and joints there, instantly unlocking the tension and alleviating the pain, realigning everything there, but burning deep into him, making him wince. A jagged ring around Sousuke's shoulder was angry and red, raised up at him, a reminder of the bite sunken into him, forever altering him, the slashing mark of the cursed settled in the centre. He tugged his shirt on, leaving it open. 

 

"Thank you." It was begrudging, but still there. He played off the shallowness of his breath as a result of weariness and pain, though he was certain it had more to do with Rin's lingering touches and looks, and it would be so easy for him to just crush the other into his body and just hold him, now that the pin had easily been subsiding. The pheromones in the air were potent to him, intoxicating, smelling very distinctly of Rin, who was flushed again, avoiding the visual of his exposed chest.

 

His hand was grasped, trembling fingers taking his own to drag him back into the work space, tenderly, despite the slight shiver underlying his movement. It occurred to Sousuke that the redhead would have been just as shaken up, his fingers still cold against Sousuke's hand, making him wonder if it was due to nerves or the previous and very literal brush with death. He held back his desire to to protectively encompass Rin's hand and give it a light squeeze, instead letting him go to follow behind, his presence looming and tired, contrasting the fragile tension vibrating through Rin's frame. 

 

Once inside, Rin stepped back behind the cauldron, keeping all of his focus there, completely avoiding Sousuke, and added bits of small nothings that only made sense to himself, a pinch of cherry blossom here, a dash of liquid sunshine there, some fine powders that shimmered and glittered and turned the concoction all sorts of shades until it settled for a light purple, the feeing of warm relief settling around the room. He dropped in a lavender petal, and filled up some mugs, letting two of them travel up the stairs to the duo in the sitting room. 

 

"Here we go, just like mom used to make." He took a sip, an easy smile slipping across his features. He felt his bones warm and he sighed, contended, letting his magic supplies clean up, taking the majority of the potion and filling up vials to sit on the shelf in the shoppe, a new sign etched there labeled "contentment".

 

The quartet headed up to the sitting room, Makoto's mop back, swirling furiously, and paired with a bucket beneath, as he was dripping much more than usual, a warm feeling of relief emanating through the ship, a glow basking around the group while they sipped at the potion, willing away the shadows. Perhaps it was the effect on the surroundings, Emmy being a big link to Makoto's surroundings, or perhaps it was the company, present and compassionate around him, but he found himself relaxing as well, Rei gently handing him the piece of glass so he could set it where he wanted, in this case on the piano, which somehow always stayed dry and forgiving to him, his frame hovering over the bench. The instrument was imminently a part of him, of this ship, and the most physical link to him until the mysterious glass appeared, linked directly to his emotions. He hummed softly, losing himself in his own memory, his fingers sliding over the keys, only this time, everything was different. He blinked, brushing his fingertips over the Ivory and the wood with a small gasp. Usually, he could play the way any poltergeist could, his emotions tinkering along the keys, even from across the room. The lulling conversation behind him dulled down while they watched him run his fingers along the different crevices of the wood, a wide smile breaking across his face when he pressed down a G Major, awe rising across his face once he turned around to make eye contact with Rei and then Rin, his gaze meaningful. 

 

"Mako-chan! You just reminded me, Rei and I got Kou-chan a present, but it only works if you play us a song!" The blonde bundle of energy beamed over to the ghost, grabbing his attention, something past that innocence in his magenta gaze. When it came down to Nagisa, he always he some understanding for Makoto, in this case wanting to bring him more into the group, into the present, where he could be cared for more completely. If anyone could comprehend the sailor's situation to some degree, it was Nagisa, after all.

 

"Now, Nagisa, Makoto has gone through quite a lot today. Maybe we should wait-" Rei began to caution, his own concern for Makoto evident with his tone. But the Captain only shook his head with a smile, and there was almost more color on his cheeks, a warmth about him that had been amiss for quite some time. 

 

"No, it's alright. I'd be happy to play for you." Nagisa beamed, handing Kou the little gift box, which she opened slowly, eyes widening once she saw the lovely jewel flower. 

 

"Oh Rei, Nagisa, it's beautiful! You didn't have to go through all of this trouble, you know." Kou's eyes glimmered with appreciation, the color having settled back onto her cheeks, as well, over the course of the evening.

 

There was only one song that Makoto wanted to play, at that moment, a different kind of ghost, his own haunting melody a twisting ebb and flow of Major shifting into minor, his fingers lithe and dexterous despite the lack of practice. And as his melody sounded through, the jewel shifted, the petals forming the skirt of a ballerina, which glinted as it twirled and leapt along the table, dancing and sparkling and casting rainbows against the walls and ceilings. Makoto smiled, a new memory tugging at his chest, where his heart would have been, had he one. A pair of big blue eyes blinking up at him, the press of lips to his cheek, and a piece of glass settled into his palm just like the one settled against the wood of the instrument his own fingers glided across. 

 

Something was just beyond the horizon, a storm was brewing, the sailor could sense it, electric and enticing in the air. For the first time in several lifetimes, Makoto felt that swelling of adventure that he had once loved so much. And he was ready to finally get the chance to taste it again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did you hate it? Like it? Love it? Gotta Have it?! (Oh Coldstone) I'd love to hear from you! Even if it's to reprimand me for putting Mako baby through so much shit. 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed ^-^ you can find me over at [my tumblr](http://silverseeker24345.tumblr.com/)
> 
>  
> 
> [Chapter Song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQT2HVfxJu4)


	5. (Don't Fear) the Reaper

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He knew first hand that this reaper intended no harm. It was obvious in the way no movements were made to drag him away, only paying him a periodic inspection before vanishing to cater to the destiny that Nagisa had completely abandoned for this new beginning, Death only guiding him. But Death could never breed life. That was not Death's purpose. Nagisa looked onto these visits as a sort of reminder that second chances were blessings, and life was fleeting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a little bit short and a teeny bit late. I have a playlist for inspiration and I shuffle started and got (Don't Fear) the Reaper by Blue Öyster Cult like five times, so it really helped inspire this. I hope you enjoy~

Nagisa shrugged closer to Rei on the streets, tucking grabbing onto the lean waist there and snuggling into the big, warm lab coat. He did this not out of the actual chill in the air, which had just started to color the trees in vibrant golds and maroons along their branches, nor out of the grey landscaping the pair, tall buildings looming over them in the night, the bustle have gone down while the town slept. Not even out of the obvious affection that he held for the Doctor, even if he was obviously short a few nuts and bolts, no doubt the very ones screwed into Nagisa's neck, keeping his head hinged nicely to his shoulders and connecting to a special coil inside of his chest right where a heart would be. So far, he had been doing just fine without one, as far as experiencing every jolt of emotion right there beneath the love, sweat, and tears that Rei had poured into him, reviving him in the name of science, and magical discovery, until his intent had shifted to companionship and then ultimately love, from pure to romantic in nature. 

Nagisa blinked and smiled softly, though it had yet to reach his eyes when Rei tightened his hold, tucking him tighter to his side and bringing him closer, which did smother away some of the blonde's fears, if briefly. 

Still, Nagisa buzzed with a certain anxiety beneath his skin. There was something he had come to expect, a visitor that had brought this unease to him. It was the swishing of the black cloak, like ink only darker, a vortex swallowing up any remnant of light in the abysmal setting, draped over the familiar stranger, flowing in the breeze of the night. There was a scent about the hooded figure that stood down the street, face shrouded in darkness, a scythe standing by it's side, the welcoming fragrance of lilies, the flower etched into blade of the scythe as well as embroidered along the bottom of the dark fabric flowing off of the figure, a white starlight design trimming the figure. Nagisa felt himself sparking dangerously, breathing shallow and edging labored while they stepped closer and closer, the presence completely without Rei's acknowledgement, who chattered on about the constellations to his small blonde partner, blissfully unaware, dancing along, clouds at his feet and the moon in his eye for his lover at his side. Nagisa knew it was pointless to tremble, it would only cause Rei concern, something the blonde ray of sunshine always did his best to avoid. Still, once they stepped passed the hooded figure, there was a slight pause as Death gave a curt nod, and he offered one back, a boney and gloved hand clutching the thin iridescent chain coiling around Rei's waist, a chord thin as a spiderweb, glinting under the street lamps, part of a grand design that Nagisa knew of intimately. He offered a slight nod back, his pain reminiscent of the grand scheme of things. Everything would die. Even he had once died, carried off with this figure, in fact, fingers laced with those, the silliness of those gloves igniting a comfort which had settled along in Nagisa's limbs, him having stepped away from the plane of the living into a freezing darkness, his own purgatory huddled away in snow and ice and loneliness, a plateau guiding him to nothing, numbing him once the figure had avoided him. 

Until that day the Reaper had come back for him, taking him this new route. He could remember that much, etching them into his diaries, tucking them away into that formula that he needed less and less of these days, surely a sign of something.

He knew first hand that this reaper intended no harm. It was obvious in the way no movements were made to drag him away, only paying him a periodic inspection before vanishing to cater to the destiny that Nagisa had completely abandoned for this new beginning, Death only guiding him. But Death could never breed life. That was not Death's purpose. Nagisa looked onto these visits as a sort of reminder that second chances were blessings, and life was fleeting. 

But the hooded figure proved to serve one other substantial reminder. Everyone Nagisa had ever met, ever gotten close to had those little ties of fate, weaving them into that web that the constellations could only mock and warn them about. Rin, Kou, even Sousuke and Aii and Haru, they had them. And Rei, well, his only sparkled the most vibrantly for the blonde, a light blue that evening, glimmering like it were made of chrysocolla crystals, thin and wiry, and beautifully mortal, intricately leather. In fact the only two people that Nagisa had known who were thread-free were himself, and Makoto, though something about the heavy shackles at his hips resembled a thicker, heavier variety. 

And there was really only one significant thing that they would have in common that involved a reaper. 

Nagisa buried his face into Rei's neck while they descended the stairs into their home, which started below the actual street, down a small dip beneath the sidewalk. He wrapped his tightened his arms around Rei, minding his own abnormal strength, a result of some of the darker levels of experimentation, long before Nagisa had any recollection, aside from occasional jerks of pain and the flash of Rei, eyes wide, holding him close in comfort despite the obvious threat of strength and murmured promises. 

He felt his energy starting to really fizzle out, though he had been doing his best to conserve it for the day, and he sighed, kissing the side of Rei's neck lightly, heaviness settling through his limbs, his life force slipping slowly from him. He was as good as a cognizant zombie.

"Rei?" Nagisa whispered across the lily petal hue of the Necromancer's throat, moving his face to the side, and keeping the sadness tugging at his features hidden from the other, if for just a little while. "Are you afraid of what comes next?" 

He knew without looking that Rei's brow was knit with concern, feeling him tug back a little bit, Nagisa resisting only slightly, to press a kiss to the crown of his little miracle's corn-colored hair. He exhaled slowly, looking up to smile softly at his creator, leaning forward to kiss his cheek, though his eyes still lacked some of that vibrancy that usually sparked beneath their depths.

"Of course not, Nagisa. I've done quite a bit of research, and planning, and so our next steps are laid out quite-" Nagisa gave Rei a pointed look, his eyebrow lifted, though that soft smile still graced his lips. Rei visibly deflated with the weight from his lengthy sigh. "Okay. Yes, I'm petrified, actually. I mean, I have to perfect the Lifehouse formula so you won't need it every day. I don't want to rush into the next role just yet. I know you might be anxious for us to get going with experimentation, but I'm so nervous, what if I hurt you? Or- or worse? I know I can't keep putting it off, but for Osiris's sake, Nagisa, I couldn't bare losing you. I need to savor my time with you. I- I love you so much, Nagisa. I'm so afraid of just- just ruining everything. Of hurting you, again." His voice broke on that last word, vulnerability lacing his words with a tremble and Nagisa blinked up at him, this fragility catching him entirely off guard, encouraging him to relax, if only the littlest bit. It reminded him, despite the fear lacing the words themselves, that he was in nurturing hands of the one he could trust. One who treated him like a masterpiece, though Nagisa knew what he really was. His one, and only. 

He felt a tug at the corners of his chest despite himself. Still, Rei stammered on his own doubts mingling with Nagisa's.

"W-why? Are you having second thoughts? Is it the nature of our relationship? Because I can promise I won't let it cause any detriment. If anything it just inspires me to act with more care and precision. Unless, I mean, is it not that? Do you- Do you still want this?" Rei's sincerity was so raw, moving Nagisa so completely. Such honest feeling had once been so hard to tap into. But here they were, Rei's ship bare for the blonde, exposed, trusting. Nagisa knew he owed the same truth in return. 

Nagisa laughed, the sound bright, ringing like the vibrant tinkling of bells out of reflex. The notion of anything else, anything less than what he had here, with Rei, who had whisked him away from a tundra-waistland-limbo and given him this second chance, thawed him out, brought the warmth back to his cheek, the color to his lips, it was ridiculous. He was made to love Rei. He was sure that he practically flipped the bird to the Gods of Death every day to have a chance to see him and hold him and love him. Even while he had his reservations. He grasped Rei's shoulders lightly, but firmly, peering into the other's wide amethyst eyes, his own magenta orbs sparkling, illuminating the corners of his mischievous smile, reassuring the other, who worried his lower lip with his teeth nervously, eyebrows quirked, silently asking Nagisa to explain.

"Rei-chan is the love of my existence." He still refused to call what he had a life. It was a half life, at most, more of a second chance if anything, but he knew that to insinuate that he held life meant that there would be a next step, rather than to simply discontinue. Still, he knew he was present enough to love Rei as much as physically possible. He felt his smile fall from his face as he continued, wanting to make his reservations clear. "But one day, you will grow old and die, and I will not. You are written into destiny. And I'm not. Not anymore. What if I'm keeping you from your soulmate?" His frown only deepened to a pout when Rei let out a light laugh of his own, scrubbing his own face with the heals of his palms. 

"Nagisa, no matter the circumstances that brought us together, I'm sure that you're nothing less than my soulmate. Why else would have come back for me?" Rei licked his lips nervously. He ruffled his fingers through Nagisa's honey locks affectionately. "You're my angel."

Of course, it was Nagisa who had taught Rei how to love in the first place. It took some time to break through those thick walls of his, but Nagisa had been a godsend, immediately finding the other's heart through all of that isolationism, thawing him from the inside out, breaking through the barriers without really knowing what he was even doing.

Nagisa sighed, very briefly tickled by Rei's affirmations, like a soft kiss warming him only to leave him colder with comparison. He shook his head, guiding the other to the sofa and sitting him down, pacing back and forth in front of him, trying to formulate his words carefully, the way Rei often did when there was something on his mind. It was almost comical, the way he mocked the behavior there, these cues becoming natural to him. He turned, his own brow knit in discomfort, wanting to lay these realities into Rei's lap with as much tact and care as he could while still being honest. He carefully stooped to pick up the coffee table in his hands, as if he were only lifting an awkward plate, weightless on his arm. He set it back down, feeling himself weaken with the action, just a little bit, his life-force already waning in the evening hours.

"Rei, I'm a monster. I'm not natural- I, I don't have a future. I'm an abomination." His voice was soft, but not sad, or at least not as sad as it was accepting. He knelt in front of the couch. "How can I take yours from you?" He closed his eyes, surprised when he felt fingertips caress his cheek. He blinked his gaze open, meeting a vibrant pair of violate engaging him framed by red rimmed glasses, the other having moved to kneel in front of him as well.

"Nagisa." His voice was gentle, but commanding. "You're not anything short of a miracle. I didn't have a future until I met you, Nagisa. I was stagnating. I was lonely." There was a brief intake of air, deep, like Rei was tasting it on his tongue for the first time in a long time. "I don't know what you're asking me for, and I've come to learn that I don't possess all of the answers we both need. But- but if you let me, I want to keep loving you. Neither of us can predict the future- not like Kou-chan, at the very least. And when it comes to us, I don't want to know. I want to experience it all. I'll keep on theorizing and experimenting, because I want to give you a life that you can be happy with." He sighed then, exasperated with his own long-winded rant and the other exponents he had yet to have found the courage to count. "And if that doesn't work- well, I'll find a way." Nagisa was stunned to find himself leaking- tears, they were called, his friend Rin often shed them- and he laughed while his creator, his partner wiped them away, kissing him softly, a brush of warm lips and fluttery breath mingling with chilly, electric ones. "I want to chase eternity with you." Rei murmured against Nagisa's lips, and his breath tasted like honey and promises he would keep. Nagisa's forehead rested against Rei's, dizzying him, making the volts going through him vibrate up his spine, as of his pulse were racing. "The day I resurrected you was the day you breathed life into me." 

Nagisa laced their fingers, his touch light, care evident in his gentleness despite his obvious renewed excitement. He felt gears clicking into place, telling him that he had nothing to fear, as another lingering memory from beyond the pages of his diaries, only proof that he was stepping more securely into the plane of the living, the image of Death offering him his hand, leading him to a doorway, his own thread still glimmering, leading them to a towering wooden door, colored by mums and daffodils etched into the hardware. An iridescent wire flashed at him, pulling out of the woodwork, tangled to his, connected by a red mum like the ones on the door. It was only once he had reached for the door that they had broken apart, leaving him without a thread altogether, the baby pink glimmering away. He tentatively pushed, finding Death standing behind, watching him step into the blinding light.

There was the sounds of whipping wind and rain, the cacophony accompanied by thunder as he stepped out, his eyes snapping open. He found himself on a surface of unforgiving cold, pressed to his back, caressing his nude, vulnerable flesh, gazing up at the most beautiful man he had ever seen, who peered down at him, stunned. Transparent curtains flashed and billowed, carried by the storm, the laboratory illuminated by a plethora of melting candles flickering in the angry breeze. Nagisa had winced and covered his eyes, new to these flames, to the angry brightness threatening him, and blinding him I comparison to the dark Someplace he had just come from. When he opened his eyes again, they had all gone out, the Doctor's hand held out to him, so hot against his own freezing fingers, nearly scalding him as he took hold of it, feeing it thrum and pulse against his palm.

"Don't be afraid." His Maker had said back then.

As Nagisa leaned forward, fingers grasping the starchy and rough open collar of Rei's beat up lab coat, and pulling him in for another chapped kiss, wanting him closer, closer, as close as he could get, craving more of that warmth, that affection, that life, offering back his own breath, his own spark, he laughed once more, relaxing in Rei's hold entirely, falling back onto the Persian rug there, pulling Rei over, barely minding his own strength. 

He knew that time worked the same way as Life and Death; Seasons would chase one another heeding to no one else's desires. The world outside held itself to only its own standards, weather working on it's own whims. With his palm in Rei's, trading battle stories, fingers lacing, drawing life from one another to share, he knew he had nothing to fear, not Death, not Life, not anything in between. There was only ever the present. His grin pressed to the Necromancer's own, only convincing him that somehow he must have moved on from an icy purgatory to the warmest and sweetest heaven he could ever know.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! Let me know what you thought? I felt like these babies needed more love, you know? They're a big part of this plot. I hope it's still been good. I've been lacking some drive lately, but I do love this fandom and this story, so I'm doing my best~ Your feedback as always is appreciated. Thank you for reading! 
> 
> You can reach me at [My tumblr](http://silverseeker24345.tumblr.com/)
> 
> The chapter song is here: [Chapter Song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClQcUyhoxTg)


	6. Only You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “No, you. You have to get out. I- I’m not strong enough-“He closed his eyes in shame, whimpering, and avoiding the vermilion irises sparkling over to him, wincing when he heard the other's quick intake of breath. “It's fucking Eve.” His voice broke. “And you’re still technically my- just get out. Please, Rin?” His voice was throaty, desperate, on the verge of a broken growl, hissed out from a tight jaw. His pulse rushed swiftly through him, the scent foggy, mingling just behind his eyes, familiar and foreign and fresh, but still exactly like home. His senses bombarded him and he practically tasted the redhead in the air, who cautiously shuffled closer. He could choke on the aroma, feeling it mingle with his blood and beat against his rib cage, savage and nostalgic and desperate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What's that? A rating change? Oh me oh my~
> 
> There's very rough sex with light bdsm undertones below. Mentions of biting and breaking skin via biting below. It's hate sex with a melancholy aftertaste. Magical lube. Animal magnetism.

It was around 11:45 when Makoto finally got up from his spot on the piano bench, having spent the last several hours reacquainting his fingers with the ivory keys of his beloved instrument, providing the easy chatter with a soft, mellifluous accompaniment, pleasing to the ear and easy on the soul. He licked his lips as he rose, the mop standing to attention from where it had been laying on the floor. Nagisa and Rei had already made their way out, bidding the group a warm farewell, fingers laced, hugs offered to everyone by the effervescent blonde, even to the brooding werewolf in the corner, who had tried to keep his distance, but had found himself failing, the warmth of that laughter drawing him in. Still, the action had caught Sousuke off guard, the genuine interest, the welcoming in that embrace while that mysterious boy who had the unmistakable scent of Lilies on him, a fragrance usually associated with a brush with death, though it mingled with Daffodil and Lavender, giving Sousuke a sense of ease. He always trusted his nose to know, and Nagisa was a breath of fresh air. More surprising was the certainty the other had when he told him that he looked forward to seeing him once more. 

There had been a glance following something invisible winding and fluttering from Sousuke to Rin, followed by a giggle and wink to Kou, who appeared pleased, if not entirely on edge. This was obviously an unspoken code for a conversation that Sousuke felt went better minus context.

 

As soon as Makoto ascended to take his second dive into the depths of his memory, a grimace tugging at his smile, the piece of sea glass seated safely in his palm, Kou also rose, following after, both of them sensing the tension in the room begin to boil and rise between Sousuke and the sharp-toothed redhead just across from him, usually one glancing moony-eyed at the other, obvious conflict worrying at a chapped bottom lip before quickly glancing away to avoid being caught, an heir of disinterest- haughty in Rin’s case, brooding in Sou’s- settling over a handsome face. They traded off on role, an awkward dance building in their stubborn ebb and flow, caught between admiration, attraction, distrust, heartbreak, hope, and betrayal. Sousuke's fists on the armrests were tight, his knuckles white, the wood straining. Discomfort tugged at his brow as his glances grew in heat and intensity.

“Well, it’s been a long day. I think I’m going to go to bed. Maybe check on Makoto if the lights stay off for too long. Though I don’t see any trouble for him.” She covered her mouth for a second, blushing. “O-oh, um, watch out for the coffee table? Sweet Dreams~ see you both in the morning!” She ignored the calls at her back. 

“I’m not staying!”

“He’s as good as gone!”

 

There was an awkward pause, the two thinking on the lovely lady’s words, pouting, finally making eye contact for a moment while the puzzle came together, a hot blush settling on both of their faces, Rin throwing one leg over the other, rolling his eyes, his pulse racing, mild arousal conflicted by raging disappointment and irritation rolling off of him in waves, attacking Sousuke’s olfactory senses, winding him up further while the concept of Kou’s vision settled hot on the floor of his stomach.

 

Sousuke crossed his arms, looking over his shoulder to avoid eye contact as a “Tch” fluttered over to his ears. He swallowed, the lack of warm bodies leaving him to be bombarded entirely by Rin’s intoxicating scent. He winced, covering his mouth and nose with the crook of his elbow, his head spinning while the lights began to flicker around them. His head spun, the distinct smell of cinnamon and earth and Rin mingling around in his lungs, buzzing up his spine, the scent of intrigue exploding on the back of his tongue, bubbling in his blood stream like champagne, taking him to new heights miles above his body, his flesh and bone itching for him to cross the threshold and bury his face into the crook of Rin’s neck, taste him, pull him tight against his body and sink his canines in, marking him and making him keen and mewl right before he-

 

“Sousuke?” He swallowed the lump in his throat, realizing with wild mortification that he had been whimpering. He winced as another animalistic whine pulled from his throat. “Hey, you in pain?” The concern cut with disapproval glimmering in Rin’s eyes felt like liquid fire rolling down Sousuke’s spine, an unamused laugh rumbling from his chest. He was beginning to work up a sweat.

“Agony.” His voice felt thick and broken, the husk in his tone obvious. He tried to look away, but his animal blood raged on, begging him to draw Rin in to intoxicate every sense he possessed. He trembled around the edges. “You smell s-so strong.” His breathing was shallow, becoming labored. His eyes shut tight. 

“Wow, you’re a fucking dick. I took a bath today and everything.” Rin was all reaction, obviously put off by Sousuke’s presence, hopping up to pace anxiously, and the feel of his movement in the air, his pulse thrumming, the bob of his jugular drove Sousuke into his own personal hell. Rin’s frustration was evident, poignant in the thick space between them, but so was that curiosity, that desire radiating from him, twisting and curling like smoke, coiling in Sousuke’s lungs and his veins. Rin had been around long enough in the past to know what exactly was going with the other the night before the Moon. Sousuke had always been easily worked up during Eve. Especially when he had forgotten to take his medication.

“Don’t be stupid. I- I have to leave. Get out.” Sousuke winced, his heart dense and heavy in his chest, wild and angry. The panic of earlier and then the rush of company had kept him busy- too busy to actually take the potion that would have numbed down these responses and keep him closer to human on the monster spectrum. His impulses and instincts ran rampant, triggered both by the privacy he had with his past mate, who he had desperately been attempting to avoid that evening, as well as the eve of the moon.

 

“So get out. No need to repeat yourself.” Rin glowered, leaning against the wall, his weight on one leg, the other leg crossed behind at the ankle and Sousuke knew with every fiber of his being that he could lift him from that vulnerable position so easily, but animal magnetism or not, consent was always his first law of intimacy, and he highly doubted he would be receiving that from Rin. He swallowed and shook his head. 

“No, you. You have to get out. I- I’m not strong enough-“He closed his eyes in shame, whimpering, and avoiding the vermilion irises sparkling over to him, wincing when he heard the other's quick intake of breath. “It's fucking Eve.” His voice broke. “And you’re still technically my- just get out. Please, Rin?” His voice was throaty, desperate, on the verge of a broken growl, hissed out from a tight jaw. His pulse rushed swiftly through him, the scent foggy, mingling just behind his eyes, familiar and foreign and fresh, but still exactly like home. His senses bombarded him and he practically tasted the redhead in the air, who cautiously shuffled closer. He could choke on the aroma, feeling it mingle with his blood and beat against his rib cage, savage and nostalgic and desperate.

 

“You mean, in the last five years-?” The fragility in that baritone lapped away at Sousuke’s foundation, along with the knowledge that the warm, lithe body in front of him was in reach. They were toe-to-toe. He swallowed the lump of pride in his throat, it burning down, jagged and bitter and tasting of those broken promises, his slick arousal embarrassingly prominent while it throbbed in his lap. “Sousuke- you never marked anyone else?” Without marking anyone else, without that consummation, Sousuke was still technically physically bound to Rin. It was undeniable evidence of the celibacy he had maintained in the last five years, not difficult to do when leading the life of a lone wolf. Sousuke winced, his brow tugging up in obvious an insecure discomfort. The only way to snuff out that physical craving entirely for himself was to create a more powerful link with another. He kept to himself, where he could avoid another betrayal, trying to stay out of trouble. He knew he was the only one affected, anyway.

And being unaffected, over the last half of a decade, the alluring cherry-haired man surely could have had plenty of bed partners. In fact, in the last five years, it only made sense for Rin, with his fun-loving lust for life, good looks, and near insatiable sex-drive to have found at least one lover in that time. And if he had, Sousuke had no business asking. His opened his eyes, stunned by both the molten jealousy winding around the pit of his stomach and the proximity of Rin before his face, expression unreadable, a tug Sousuke's tight chest begging him to close the distance and reclaim what had once been a companionship so carefully crafted. He dragged in a throaty gasp in surprise, instantly regretting it while his senses and will were both assaulted ruthlessly. Envy wound hot and tight, constricting around his heart like a boa. He trembled with the need to completely mark him again, to devour him and bend with him and break with him. He knew by then, his pupils must have been blown, barely any of that clear aqua sparkling around the rims of those black holes, all wolf, angry and alert, trained on him, weak for him, a new onslaught of whines pulling from his chest, which rose and fell like he had been running a marathon, his lungs greedily sucking in that thick and decadent air. 

"No. I c-couldn’t." When Rin placed his palm on the top of Sousuke's hair the lights completely shut down around them, blanketing them in darkness. Sousuke felt as if he were being stabbed by hot knives, his self-control pulled tight, straining and fraying while he desperately rubbed his cheek up to greet it’s caress south. He silently embraced the silent praise. "Rin, please.” A bead of sweat cascaded down from Sousuke’s temple. “I have to get out, Red. I w-want you. So bad.” He licked his lips, gaze flicking down to the plump shape of Rin’s mouth in the darkness. 

 

"And let you go out on the streets like this? I don't think so." Sousuke blinked, his brain several steps behind his body, which was completely bathed in fire as Rin settled into his lap, heavy and perfect and rolling his hips sweetly, teasing Sousuke, who's hands were on the other’s hips before he was even conscious of it, his hips rising to meet him in his chair, dragging the redhead down with grateful groan. “But, let’s get something straight.” Sousuke’s blood boiled at how together that slice of heaven and hell could sound rutting in his lap while he was already passed saving there in the dark in that recliner. “We aren’t lovers. I hate you. And I know you hate me.” And even if Sousuke knew the latter statement was the farthest from the truth, his skin tingled with excitement, animal, ferocious, his eyes wide, his eyebrows furrowed while he hung himself on every word.  
“Fuck me like you mean it, Sousuke.” The werewolf’s resolve completely shattered, while he stood swiftly and with ease, hoisting Rin along with him like he was carrying a sack of flour, winding Rin’s long legs around his waist. There was a brief moment, fleeting between them, where Sousuke’s brooding frown melted away, into something more confident, a dark grin settling onto his face, the spark in his eye dangerous and alluring. Rin’s fingers tangled into the smoky black tresses, messy and rugged, smirking back, like they were sharing an old joke just before angry mouths collided, a gnashing of lips and tongues and teeth, messy and satisfying while Sousuke lead them across the threshold blanketed in the shadow of the night, the chill of it seeming miles away with them caught up in their heat.  
*****

Rin knew all too well that Sousuke’s sense of direction was really to be desired. So much for animal instincts, really. They began and ended at locating Rin, be that because of their ugly curses, tangled and knotted, or Sousuke’s unwavering bond to him, or some other undefinable thing that both knew was untouchable, best left dead in the ground. Still, Sousuke was usually very careful, or at least he always had been. His skills at perception had helped keep Rin out of a lot of trouble in their yesteryears. And any time Rin had caught him off guard in the past by overwhelming the generally cool and composed man panged in Rin’s chest, a sense of pride smoking at his edges, usually paired with his own desire. It all branched out from his lust for being lusted after. He craved being craved, opened himself up to it. He lived for that evidence, that he could wreck Sousuke in the same ways the hulking mass of muscle and wilderness and sex had ruined him. 

So when Sousuke was too preoccupied, too enamored with Rin to pay the surroundings any attention and sent them both tumbling to the hard floor, toppling right over the coffee table, Rin hardly had it in him to be indignant, that clumsiness only having been a silent confession of Sousuke’s complete submersion, dragging Rin in over his head right back. But what really took Rin’s breath away, something he mentally cursed himself for, was the way Sousuke had immediately stepped into the role of guardian, catching him on his way down, his legs still wrapped around those powerful hips, the jolt pressing that prominent need into him further, those broad arms wrapped around him, holding him close, protecting him from the unforgiving wood, a large palm cradling his head, eyebrows raised in surprise while dazed teal gems wrapping blown pupils tried to put together what exactly had just happened through that lust-filled stupor. While the lights flickered back on dimly, Rin laughed lightly, shaking his head at Sousuke’s helplessness, something he thought he would go without for probably the rest of his life. He clutched at the thin fabric of Sousuke’s tight flannel, pushing his own back onto the floor to grant him leverage to properly rock his groin against the source of heat before him, wanting to taste some of that delicious friction, fluttering his ruby eyelashes up coyly. The fireplace ignited, the rest of the lights dwindling to nothing to help set the mood, save for the occasional candle through the room. 

“You always were a hopeless romantic.” The admission was breathy, amused, if not bitter-sweet and thick with desire. A certain and self-assured grin broke across Sou’s face, that clarity breaking through. They had always been friends underneath it all, even here, fucking as enemies on the hardwood floors of the rustic ship, too desperate to even make it to a bedroom anymore while Rin snickered, the buttons of Sousuke’s shirt seemingly undoing themselves, Rin leaving the undressing of himself up to Sousuke despite being able to make the garments vanish. There was something more carnal about it, the slight man-handling that it required while Rin rolled his torso for Sousuke to peal his own pirate blouse up and off of him, throwing it over his head (only for Rin to quietly command it back to his room, as with every article the pair lost). He used his hips to propel the roll, ruthlessly humping against Sousuke once more, gasping while the desired effect rolled up his spine in the form of Sousuke’s low purr, husky and low, and curling Rin’s toes. He offered up a fluttery gasp of approval as Sousuke’s hands, which were large and hot and rough with work and lifestyle, palmed down to his bare sides, golden in the firelight. Long, dexterous, powerful thumbs rolled appreciative circles into his creamy soft skin, making his nerves stand at attention.

He grinned wide, full of mischief, uncrossing his ankles and unlocking Sousuke from the grip of his muscular thighs, kicking off one boot, and then the other and letting his heels settle onto the cool floor. He let his own hand start in his hair, wild and tousled, glinting a dazzling hue of rouge, lit by flames, making the attractive man look like the embodiment of an unstoppable blaze. Together they were fire and ash, wild and unforgiving and ruthless and passionate. They always had been, and they always would be, circumstances be damned. Rin was the fire and his bedmate the ash, always destined for perfect ruin in Rin’s burning embrace. Sousuke’s gaze locked on those fingertips, longing to reach out and finger those silky strands. Rin knew he could captivate Sou that way; his hair had always been quite the draw. He grinned, letting his hand swoop down the side of his neck brushing across his throat, and over to the side of his collar bones where Sousuke had first laid that mark into him, an accident that felt like an eternity ago, when a different kind of tension ran high. A light rosy-white ring ran there, one you would have to look for to notice, standing out bright and clear for the werewolf, who whined lightly, as if begging to mark there again. Rin only let his smile expose his row of pearly-white teeth, jagged and intricate, framed by those pouty lips that Sousuke’s flicked to before gliding back down to follow the palm rubbing down over one of Rin’s nipples, already at attention while his body buzzed with arousal. The fingers brushed lower and lower still, Rin pleased at the hypnotism seeming to occur while he arched his back completely off of the floor and began to drag the black leather down, revealing the v of his hips and farther still, releasing his own thick arousal from its tight confines, stopping just below his thighs. 

“Little help?” He watched Sousuke’s hungry gaze, which was burning holes through his lower abdomen, drag back up to his face, skittering up his body, scotching him, making Rin shiver with need. “Touch me.” It was like magic, the way those words elicited immediate results, Rin feeling himself be enveloped by Sousuke, hands groping and pulling, while he bowed over, resting on one elbow, nipping at his old mark, making Rin moan and tangle his fingers through Sousuke’s hair, tugging on the black strands. He moaned, unabashed, dragging that face closer while Sousuke’s strong hand tore the garment off of Rin’s delectable legs, tearing a gasp through Rin’s frame with a dark laugh and a heavy-lidded smile. 

As Rin’s heart caught him off guard in the moment, a flutter of warmth settling onto his cheeks, tugging something invisible at his chest, a mason jar in the corner shattered, loudly, practically exploding, making a mess on the floor of red sands, jostling Rin into reality, reminding him of endgame. He swallowed his heart back down, the sweetness laced with bitterness, tasting more precisely like them on the back of his tongue, breathing in with that twisted-knife feeling. He twisted onto his stomach, thrusting his hips back onto Sousuke, the hands caressing him hot and sharp, like claws baring into him with the tenderness they possessed. A little bottle, purple and full of something slick and special appeared in Rin’s fist, which he passed back to Sousuke, who nipped and sucked at his shoulder, making his spine roll, a defined arch curving his back, displaying his round ass for the other, his legs spread, Sousuke solid behind him, audibly uncapping the bottle while Rin rested his forehead against the tops of his knuckles, his head reeling with the rush of desire through him. Desire to be used, to feel good, to feel wanted and needed. 

He gasped while a skillful finger slipped into him, Sousuke pressing kisses along his neck to his ear, his breath hot and surprising, sending another wave of shock and pleasure through Rin, who tensed around the digit there with a wince before melting around it, tingling, something fluttering around his veins, flitting about while Sousuke began to whisper to him, words of encouragement, of endearment, the quiet brush of praise all too familiar for him, welling up his eyes with unshed tears, this time a vase on the windowsill smashing in on itself, the roses on the floor withering until they were dead out of sight by Rin’s third breath. He thrust his hips back, twitching and fidgeting, and only letting his frustrated tears once the next thick finger slipped inside of him, pulling him apart, opening him up with a murmured “fuck”, from whose lips, he was unsure. As soon as Sousuke smelled and tasted the tears, he paused, making a move to withdraw. 

“What’s wrong?” Rin found himself impressed by the control being practiced by the other, especially in the state he was in, his own scent obviously winding the werewolf’s gears tighter and tighter. Instead of gracing Sou with an answer, he rolled back onto his haunches and threw his arms up and around the strong neck, his fingertips gently scraping up the base of Sousuke’s skull, a throaty puff of approval hitting the side of Rin’s neck, the ghost of it brushing down to his collar bone. He rocked his hips down onto the retreating fingers, paying no mind to the salty wet trail caressing his cheeks, riding them with a groan. 

“Don’t stop. Don’t you fucking dare!” His command was thick with a cross of arousal and emotion, the vulnerability of it shaking at Rin’s foundation. 

“Then tell me what you want, Red.” Sousuke’s frustration colored the growl of his words, those fingers curling, a third slipping in only once that space inside of Rin had been found, rippling through him accompanied by a breathless, trembling sob barreling out of the redhead’s chest. “Fuck, what do you want?” Sousuke sucked on Rin’s shoulder, his other hand rolling the thick plushness of Rin’s ass along his palm, the feel of it rough and welcome, but nowhere near enough.  
“I w-want you to wreck me. Nnng, fuck, Sousuke, ruin me.” Forearms collided with hard wood, the feeling of desperate teeth sinking into Rin’s shoulder, the muscle there tensing in pain before it melted into a distinct, fuzzy elsewhere, his head spinning his desperation laying entirely in Sousuke’s hands, who kissed at the forming bruise, the trickle of something think and hot oozing along his back slowly. Something heavy settled over the pair. Rin always could handle this. He craved it, a taste of the bad omen that he was to anyone else. That he was to Sousuke. 

 

As soon as Sousuke’s jaw unlocked from that second bite, harmless in that present form, his hips pushed forward into the hot waiting body below him, dragging those hips onto him, moaning low, vibrating against Rin’s spine, nipping and sucking up to the sensitive top of the redhead’s spine, who could only writhe and gasp and moan, rocking back, biting into his knuckles to keep quieter, the wet heat pulsing through him so unbelievably good, stroking those flames, that familiar but foreign stretch hollowing him out, making him crave more, a possessive, relentless pace ramming into Rin, who’s toes curled, his eyes rolling back, eyelashes fluttering, a trail of drool sliding down his chin along his throat, settling in the hollow there. He rocked and rolled, trying desperately to match pace, Sousuke’s strength quaking through him. His back was suddenly felt cold and exposed while Sousuke rolled up for a better angle, one hand reaching around to grip the back of Rin’s neck, forcing him into that submissive pose, pummeling Rin’s prostrate, angrily laying into that lithe, lean body. The pressure pulsated in Rin’s groin, one hand pulling back to wrap around his own length, enough to completely overwhelm his senses, his eyes squeezing shut, searching for that quick, desperate pace. 

“F-Fuck, Red,” There was a thick pant that felt miles away. “I’m close.” Rin whined, feeling that hand at his neck thrust up and tangle through his own wild tresses, weaving through to get a fistful before dragging him up recklessly, pain and pleasure clawing out of Rin’s throat and into Sousuke’s mouth, which pressed desperately to his own, his tongue drawn into that hot mouth, sucked in, tangling with the thick wetness of the Sou’s, hot and needy and broken. Sousuke’s completion, wet and boiling, filling Rin up, rocketed him into his own zenith, high and gone, wrecked sobs rolling out of him while he came, thick and hot all over himself.  
They panted like that awhile, sticky and shaken, with Sousuke still buried deep inside of him, his face pressed between Rin’s shoulder blades, wrapping Rin in the strong, encompassing safety of his arms. Slowly, Rin felt him pull out with a wince and a gasp, only to be turned in Sousuke’s embrace, wilderness gone, at least staved off for a little while, aqua tourmaline carefully assessing his face, the gentle brush of the calloused pad of a thumb brushing away the tears that still cascaded down Rin’s face despite having settled into that euphoric glow, his edges cold, frozen, as he trembled in Sousuke’s arms. 

 

“Hold on.” For a fleeting moment, Rin’s heart stopped, convinced that Sousuke had intended to leave him there. Instead, it became clear that his intentions were literal while he scooped Rin up bridal style and followed his nose to his bedroom, where their clothes were laying in a pile by the door. The room behind them began to pick itself up, a basin of water and a cloth waiting beside the bed. Rin buried his face into Sousuke’s shoulder, hoping he would miss the light kiss he pressed to the scar there. He winced while he was deposited onto the bed, keeping his eyes shut when Sousuke cleaned them both up, his caress with the cloth gentle but thorough. It was only when he set the cloth back in the basin and stood from his spot on the bed that Rin opened his eyes wide, reaching out for Sousuke’s hand.  
“Stay.” He swallowed, hating the fragility of the word, and even more the bitterness inside of Sousuke’s smile, hardening the edges and dimming that spark. “Please.” Wordlessly, Sousuke sat back down, following his lead one the Redhead tucked himself in, creating a spot beside himself for a broader set of shoulders.  
“We can’t do this, Red.” Still, his arms encompassed Rin once more, running his fingers through the wine red locks, a shaky sigh, begrudgingly content, exhaled into the chilly room. 

 

“I know.” Rin chewed on his lower lips. “I’m sorry.” He was all cried out, his voice a broken whisper, his fingers lacing with the set of thicker, only slightly longer ones. Sousuke’s hands had always been a draw for Rin, large and Earthy, and powerful, and tender. “But you promised. You promised not to love me.” A silence befell them for a moment, the room dimmed to bare darkness, the moon nearly full outside casting them in a film of dim pearly white. He closed his eyes, figuring Sousuke must have fallen asleep already, but only slightly startled once he received the forlorn whisper in answering, rumbling right into his ear from Sousuke’s chest. 

 

“I lied. But you did, too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So there's that. I hope you enjoyed it. I really really appreciate your feedback! It keeps me going! 
> 
>  
> 
> [My Tumblr](http://silverseeker24345.tumblr.com/)
> 
>  
> 
> [Chapter Song was harder to pick this go around](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Um8Q-5UL0E)


	7. Nature Boy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> [Chapter Song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iq0XJCJ1Srw)

The sun beat down harshly on the sailors, Makoto looking out over the sparkling waters. He caught glimpse of inky locks for the slightest moment, but he lost sight of them in the waves. He sighed to himself, rolling his shirt up his tan arms, heart pounding, a thick drop of sweat rolling down the side of his face. He winced slightly, flustered by all of the heat. It had been several days, no real sight of his merman, and no amount of bright light and calm water count take away the disdain from his heart or the distaste from his mouth. He was beginning to worry, sitting on the lip of the ship, a foot dangling above the drop to the waters, which he knew would be warm and welcoming, promising him that gentle embrace to sweep him away. The ocean was a dangerous lady that way, he’d been told. He sighed, raising his violin to his shoulder, tuning it by ear, never losing that A440. He slowly played out a solemn melody to the crew and the waves, a rolling love song that needed no words, much like he was finding his relationship with the boy in the water was, though it would have been nice to know a name. At least he assumed, though it was harmless to love the man from afar, he had thought. He knew that the creatures of the sea were built for freedom. He had often felt the same way, empathized with it, though he knew he would be weighed down by obligation probably until the day he died. Still, he would keep chasing that freedom, dreaming of the day he would be able to really be timeless and uninhibited. 

Though he was also learning, he wouldn’t mind being tied down for the right reasons. Of course, he had fallen for a net he would never bring himself to cast. He loved too compassionately to bring his merman’s freedom an untimely end. He was certain it would be akin to death. He could admire from afar, if only the other would pop up to be admired. His chest constricted, his notes soft, vibrating with a beautiful melancholy. 

He looked down and caught sight of it- a piece of green sea glass, one that had surely not been there before down on a sill. He smiled softly to himself, his dread washed away, a bittersweet melody still ringing through his heart even after his song was done. He set his violin to the side and grabbed a rope, letting himself down to grab the piece, still missing the very blue eyes he’d been dreaming about on the few nights he slept, but perhaps just a tad less. 

****

Haru looked across the way, glowering through his stoic unchanging mask, loathing flashing behind those cerulean depths, which had been particularly glassy and stormy that particular day. It was raining, much like that first day music had called him outside of his safe blanket of sea and surf. His nostrils flared and a look of victory nearly passed the violet gaze across from him from the immortal from across the way. It had been a while since Haru had seen the cotton-candy haired other, and he was surprised to see him there while he did. The sun would rise in a little over and hour, and so Kisumi was taking a big risk, parading around that way. More importantly, he was jeopardizing Haru’s day ahead, for if the sun did rise, Haru was stuck with his presence until night fall.

“Kisumi.” He had been polishing the cherry wood of the rustic instrument once more, binding something vibrant and smooth into the scroll and chinrest. He had had yet to touch the bow yet, but it had been coming together. “What are you doing here?”

Kisumi glanced down at the stake calmly and firmly clutched in Haru’s hand, picked up from under the desk after his instrument had been set to the side, and pointed directly at Kisumi’s heart.    
  
“What? I can’t visit my oldest friend?” He bat his eyelashes. “I’m hurt, Haru-chan. I came all this way and stopped in and everything.” He grinned, showing off those canines. “Of course I had to come and see it, too. Just checking on Mako-chan. I have to go that way later. I thought, I owed you a favor. So I’m cashing in. But I do have someone who expects me back, and the last I checked, murder was frowned upon in this century. Not that you pay much attention to that, right? It is in your nature to kill, after all, you cold-blooded thing you!” His tone was light, though the jab was real.  
   
Haru bristled, Kisumi finding some of that fault in his exterior. They had come to an agreement of sorts over the last century or so, a social contract made strictly out of necessity, really, considering they ran into one another over the course of their long lives more frequently than Haru liked. Kisumi helped Haru bury away some of the past and kept his secrets for him. On top of that, he visited Makoto, a feat which Haru had still not been able to accomplish yet himself. And there was the matter of the heart, as well.  
   
“At least I don’t have to borrow my blood.” Despite the conflict rolling around beneath the surface, Haru offered his best, glassy monotone, smooth and unperturbed, a pang of jealousy haughtily smoothing over his surface, the demeanor of uncaring his own method of catty jealousy. He knew that nothing was really stopping him from just walking down the street and going to talk to Makoto, nothing physical at least. But fear had Kept him at bay. Fear of truth and disappointment. His heart had been broken enough. 

He had a plan to try to bring together, first. Though the call toward the potion’s shop had been only gaining it’s intensity. 

He missed him. So much. 

There was a palpable tension in the air. If Haru hated anything, it was sharing. But they both knew, the gem would never have come into existence without Kisumi, nor this second chance that Haru was fighting so desperately for. So he put up with the vampire, and everything he brought with him. If he were being honest, to a small degree, Kisumi had even grown on him, just the littlest bit. It was in the way he was uncaring. The past could remain there, everything else was a joke in the wind. Everything but the ghosts they had both chosen to cling to, Haru more physically than Kisumi. There was a grace to the way Kisumi had moved on. Haru never had, and probably never would. He admired Kisumi, and he envied him. And he was sure they would never fully trust one another.

“Lock up the front.” He turned around, stake in hand, going to the back room and unlocking a cabinet. He kept it near a window, wanting to give it as much sunlight as possible. It was nearly living, after all. He picked the case up, a glass box embellished with golden waves, glowing green and vibrant. It rested on a bed of shards of glass, the years rolling them around in the case like an ocean somehow, converting the pieces into sea glass not unlike the pieces in jars and bottles inside the cabinet and adorning the violin he had been polishing, nor unlike the piece resting across the stand-up that had once resided inside the captain's chambers, moved down to be inside a sitting room just below deck. He held it carefully, always surprised at the warmth of it thrumming inside of the glass chest. 

Haruka set the case down carefully, the pair of them overwhelmed by the vision of it, the feeling of it’s glow basking around them. Inside lay a heart, crystal but functional, torn out of a certain specter’s chest back when he still manifested one. A stream of light linked around him and pressed to his chest, warming him up from the inside out, though he could not see it. Kisumi, however, followed the strand to Haru’s chest with a sad smile. 

“I think he misses you, too, you know.” Kisumi glanced back at the heart encased in glass, perfect but contained, caged, safe. “At least let me bring him the goblet.” 

Kisumi owed Haru a favor from another time, when Haru had housed him from some hunters a century or so back. When Kisumi had asked, he only shrugged and said that it was to make Makoto happy. Kisumi knew Haru would know his intentions would be exactly the same. 

Haru looked at the heart, his own sputtering in his chest. He picked the case up, bringing it back to the cabinet wordlessly, hoping to at least make Kisumi sweat, though he knew they had gone too far back to have Kisumi not be able to at least mildly interpret Haru’s silences. He smiled softly, picking up the chalice, a silver thing, tarnished, the leg of it a tail, the body depicting waves and stars and the moon through intricate engravings. 

He had never had to enchant this piece. It held so much love in it, it was already too powerful to be tampered with. He was proud of it, really. 

And Kisumi was right. It was time. He handed the item over, smile gone, gaze heavy. He was trusting Kisumi with a lot here, something he had never wanted to do. Still, he knew how to get rid of a vampire, if it came down to that. Not that it would, but he knew he had his options. 

“I’d best go before daybreak.” Kisumi took the item and made his way out the door and down the road to a grand ship parading as a potions shoppe.

****

Makoto floated across from Nagisa, seeing the boy dead-eyed, face gaunt and tired. Still, he tried to smile, looking up at the soaked sailor with a sparkle in his gaze that grew dimmer and dimmer. Rei had been in a flurry that morning, bringing them in early, eyes wide. It was one of the bad mornings, Makoto had realized. The halo of gold basking off of Nagisa’s frame had been dimming, the scent of lilies and goodbyes drifting by so that only Makoto could smell it. 

“Tell me a story, Mako-chan." Makoto had often played this game with Nagisa. The boy had never given any inclination that he might have remembered asking, or even what the storied entailed. He would forget as soon as he had been jump-started, though Rei and he had a rough several days ahead. They had research to do. 

The more present Nagisa became, the more his body fought it, meaning to keep him in that limbo existence. He remained unafraid, but the good Doctor remained panicked enough for the two of them. 

This day had already proven to have worked a little differently, Nagisa keeping his unnaturally magenta eyes level with Makoto’s, tired but sure. 

“I want to hear about the merman. I want to know if he’s like Haru-chan.” Makoto frowned at that, making a mental note to tell Rei after Rin had calmed him down and Nagisa was in top shape for the day. He but his lower lip. 

“Haru-chan? Huh.” Something tugged at him, but he swallowed it up. “Alright. I’ll tell you.”  
****  
This day was definitely less kind to Makoto, the rain whipping at him viciously, wind twisting him around, a bucked flying and winding him while he tried to tie down the sails. He panted, the ship rocking. It was much safer inside, the waters rough, but his girl sturdy and strong.  
He’d finally set the last sail when he heard it, a cry, and though he had never heard the voice, somehow he instantly knew who it was. It had been a month, and despite the weather and the danger and the icy sheets drenching him to the bone, freezing him out, he found himself smiling brighter than he had in a long while. He grasped for a rope, fist tight, worry instantly chasing that gaze. The surface was no place to swim, no matter the breed. The depths would be safest, if his little merman could make it there, though he had honestly doubted he would what with the way the water was churning away. He had only impulse decisions. He knew The man could at least survive a while outside of the depths. And he had a bathtub probably full of the bath he had yet to have taken. He swooped down, scooping himself an arm full of fishboy, swinging them back on deck. 

The first thing he noticed was how warm the other had been. He had always expected this merman to be a little colder, but he was thrumming with life and heat and made Makoto feel more comfortable sprawled out on the hard deck in the forceful rain than he had ever felt in the comfort of his own bed. Of course it helped to feel the warmth with the way the figure had been draped over him, cradled to Makoto’s chest, which rose and fell with labored pants from the intense physical exertion. Swiftly, he stood, his side panging slightly from the impact, and he brought the merman over to his chambers, the rest of his crew having been sent down to man the decks below. He deposited the briny beauty into his bathtub, only then seeing the cup clutched tightly in his pretty web hands, his eyes wide, panic melting into confusion, and then comfort. 

The merman was paler in pallor than the last time he had seen him, his tail harboring more scratches and scars along it’s shimmering scales, which shifted from sapphire to indigo in the dim candle light. Makoto noticed the flustered look to Haru’s brow, then saw the chalice silver and intricate. The liquid inside was glowing, rainwater that had somehow not lost a single drop. The tail running down as the stem swished for a moment and the merman held it out insistently, however when Makoto when to take it, he snatched it back. 

“Oh, I’m sorry, you must be so frightened. I’m going to return you as soon as the storm is over.” he raised his hand as if to touch the man, who seemed more excited than frightened, if nervous. The man shook his head, refusing to open his mouth. He gestured to drink and then held out the goblet again.  
  
  “Do you want me to- oh! You want me to drink from you- I can do that. I mean, I don’t entirely understand but-“ Haru splashed and smiled for a moment. He pressed a soft kiss to the cup, and Makoto swore he’d never felt so calm or sure about anything in his life. He tilted his head back and waited for the cold metal to touch his lips, shivering as the merman poured the incredibly cold liquid into his mouth. As he swallowed, he could swear, he began to warm from the inside out, a feeling calm and sweet and liquid flooded through him like honey, but still bitter like too much salt. He exhaled, the cup pressed into his own hand, while the dazzling creature tipped it’s own head back and gestured to his own lips. Makoto acted on instinct, his hand cupping the back of the boy’s head while he poured lightly, the man flushing in that way he had. 

He had no idea why, but he had never felt so close to someone in his life, let alone someone who had not said a single word to him. But he decided then and there, that words and names were meaningless. It was as if the merman’s heart was beating along side his own, nestled beside his beneath his ribcage. He was changed, bound, and he found he liked it, liked the freedom it possessed, to feel one another no matter the distance. 

He was so caught up in the feeling, he had failed to notice those soft lips pressed against his own, their second kiss, but definitely not their last.  
****  
Makoto flushed sheepishly at the boy who was smiling up at him, something sure behind his eyes, while Rei and Rin stepped out, Rei’s blue hair tugged every which way, tracks stained down his cheeks from the corners of his eyes, where frustrated tears had ebbed and flowed prior to his stepping out. His hands were steady, despite his shaky edges. Still, right before Nagisa could take the volts from Rei, he laughed, a tinkling sound, if hoarse and throaty. Only he could make it simultaneous. 

“Mako-chan. Your chains are glowing. You look lighter.” Makoto blinked, feeling lighter, the third stretch of chains missing from his waist.  
  
Nagisa cried out, the jolt more painful than the one from the day before, clutching onto Rei, a smile on his face breaking back across only after he’d ceased spasming, pain still thick in his gaze. He looked at the cookie and shook his head, pulling Rei down by his lapel and kissing his forehead. 

“Your name is Rei-chan and you love me very much. You think that I’m the most special. Not because I’m different, but because I’m just me.” Red blinked at him, his hands finally losing his resolve while he pulled Nagisa close, Rin exhausted but smiling softly, obviously having gone through the ringer. 

“That’s right Nagisa. I am. I do.” 

It was Rin who noticed their pink-haired visitor, first, a confused smile on his face. 

“Hey- shop’s closed until- wait a minute, how did you get in here?” Rin started in, a little haggard from a rough night and an even rougher morning. 

Kisumi smiled, showing off his pointed teeth and gesturing to Makoto. 

“I was invited.” He had a glove on clutching the silver chalice and he walked up to Makoto, biting his lower lip. Silver never really agrees with him well, after all. “I can’t stay long. I’m here on business, actually. Helping track a werewolf.” There was a certain knowledge in his gaze, specifically when he eyed the doors to the upstairs where he had not been given clearance. “And you know, dawn.” He laughed sheepishly and handed Makoto the chalice, half expecting it to go through the ghost’s hands, surprised when it did not. 

“Makoto, buddy. Come on, you look like you’ve seen a ghost.” He laughed again, looking around and seeing only Nagisa smiling at his joke. “No? Alright. Tough crown, ahem, uh, Mako, sweetheart. Don’t get mad, okay?” The ship had begun to tremble slightly, Rin rubbing his temples, wondering how Sousuke had always managed to sleep like the dead. 

“In merfolk culture, you guys were married.” Kisumi ruffled his own hair, nervous, the rumbling ceasing. “I should have told you sooner.”

Makoto looked up, eyes wide, his pallor more golden than he had been in centuries. He looked to the cup in his hand, then back to Kisumi. 

“He’s still alive, isn’t he?” His mop had paused under him, sensing the scene in that understanding way Rin had animated it to be. “My merman- my husband.” 

Kisumi winced, looking at his shoes, then back up, testing the whole sunrise boundary a little too tight for his comfort. 

“It’s Haru-chan.” Nagisa spoke up from behind them. Makoto looked up, floored for just a moment, nearly dropping the chalice. He felt the beginning of something he had not felt for a long time- the thrum of a heart that he did not posses from the chest that could not contain it. He gasped, the chalice clanging to the floor one it sizzled out again, pulse dropping away, flooring him. “Their strand is the same. And he’s losing his chains.”

Nagisa snuggle into Rei’s shoulder, exhausted and unwell, but happier than he’d been in a long while. 

"Haru." Makoto tasted the name on his tongue for the first time. He had been wrong, the name made everything much sweeter and much more painful.  
****  
Gou woke from her deep sleep, eyes white, hair and blankets and nightgown floating up and away from her, carrying her form up and up and up. 

“It’s breaking.” She whispered with borrowed voices, irises fading back to red, her own lip quivering while she dropped onto the bed. 

“It’s breaking.” She repeated to herself, wrapping her arms around herself, feeling safe and scared all at once.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I am so so so so so so incredibly sorry for the wait. I just got an office job and life has been so hectic and then I fell into a Yu-gi-oh hole. But I'm going to try to be better about updating, I promise. Also I am totally going to revise this again tomorrow. This is totally like not touched up. But I am so tired I needed to post this ASAP. I hope you enjoyed it!  
> [](http://silverseeker24345.tumblr.com>This%20is%20my%20tumblr,%20if%20you%20wanted%20to%20talk%20to%20me%20there!</a>)

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading, your feedback is appreciated! [My tumblr](http://silverseeker24345.tumblr.com/)


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